Murdered teen’s mom: ‘Start Sex Offenders Registry’

DISTRAUGHT RELATIVES of murdered 16-year-old Radha Pixie Lakhan expressed relief yesterday that their month-long torment of not knowing what happened to the youngest member of their family is over. The family has also found solace in the fact that Lakhan’s alleged killer has been caught, but they want the government to set up a Sex Offenders Registry. The teenager’s skeletal remains were found around 3 pm Friday after a 25-year-old villager, of La Brea Trace, reportedly took police into a forested area, less than a quarter of a mile from Lakhan’s home, where he pointed out the area where he allegedly left her body.

Police believe Lakhan, a Form Five student of the Palo Seco Government Secondary School, was walking to her Spring Trace, Quarry Village, Siparia home when she was allegedly dragged into a forested area on March 22. Lakhan, who would have celebrated her 17th birthday next Saturday, was raped and killed. The girl’s ailing father, Rampersad, identified his youngest daughter by her blue and white school bag. When Sunday Newsday visited Lakhan’s Spring Trace home yesterday, several villagers and relatives were there. Still in shock over her daughter’s brutal death, Lakhan’s mother, Surujdai sobbed: “I am hurt. But in a sense I feel joy because now I know what happened to my child.” The mother of three added: “I figure he (the killer) got pleasure in doing these things. I don’t think  I could forgive him for this but even if I did, it would not bring back my child. The authorities should set up a Sex Offenders Registry like is done abroad.”

The murdered teen’s eldest sister, Matie, 24, described her as outspoken, vibrant and level headed and criticised the way the police handled investigations into her sister’s disappearance. “The police searched for her nine days after she went missing. They believed the rumours that she ran away with a man and only took it serious when they found Toolsie’s body,” Matie claimed. The teary-eyed women and another sister of the victim, Sumatie, said they would set up watch groups in the village to ensure no other violent crimes are committed there. Matie appealed to the authorities to put street lights in the area and cut down the high bushes. The family is awaiting the results of an autopsy which is due to be conducted today at the Forensic Sciences Centre before making funeral arrangements.