Family helpless as boy, ten, drowns

TRAGEDY struck a Thavenot Street, Tacarigua family during what was described as a “pacro” gathering expedition in Toco on Saturday when a ten-year-old boy drowned after being swept off a rock near the choppy seas. The Maharaj family left their Tacarigua home early Saturday morning to go searching for “pacro” (a type of shellfish) on the rocks in Toco. Chris Maharaj, ten, brother Christopher, eight and grandparents Jaggernauth and Tara Maharaj, were at Trois Roche Bay in Toco, when they were swept off the rocks by a huge wave at 4.30 pm. Chris drowned while his brother Christopher and their grandparents survived after being pulled out of the sea by villagers who saw what happened. “I wished God could have saved my brother just as he saved me,” a weeping Christopher told Newsday yesterday. Chris, who was  a Standard Four student of  El Dorado North Hindu Primary School, was described as a quiet and disciplined student by friends and neighbours.

A crying Christopher said he did not sleep on Saturday night as he kept visualising the tragic events which occurred earlier in Toco. Remembering the ordeal, Christopher said the last he saw of his brother was when he (Chris) was in the water, crying for help. In the blink of an eye, Christopher related, his brother disappeared under the waters. “I am very sad at the death of my only brother who I miss dearly. I do not know how to get to school without my brother at my side,” Christopher whimpered. Christopher said when he fell in the sea, his grandmother grabbed his feet and pulled him out of the water, but another wave rose and swept his grandmother and brother into the water. His grandfather went into the water to help save them but he also was soon in difficulties. Villager Barney Morris jumped into the water and managed to grab on to Chris, but by this time it was too late. Other villagers assisted the rest of the family out of the choppy waters. An autopsy is expected to be carried out today at the Forensic Science Centre. Cpl Anthony Wight and PCs Dave Bhaggan and Rajesh Deosaran visited the scene and are continuing investigations.