Maid who killed boss dies at hospital

JOYCE Augustus, 32, the maid who on Wednesday burnt her boss, 60-year-old Cynthia Weilung to death inside her (Weilung’s) Diego Martin home, died at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday morning.

Police investigating the incident which is now classified as a murder/suicide, said that the case would be sent for a Court Inquest, since the only person who could have been charged for Weilung’s murder, committed suicide. Autopsies carried out on Weilung and Augustus’ bodies at the Forensic Sciences Centre yesterday confirmed that Weilung died of asphyxia due to inhalation of toxic smoke fumes while Augustus died of organ failure due to ingestion of a toxic substance. The autopsies were carried out by Pathologist Dr McDonald Burris.

Neighbours who spoke to Newsday said that the deceased elderly woman had confided in them that for the past few months Augustus had “grown out of control”. However, when Newsday spoke to Mrs Weilung’s son Peter Anthony, he said he was “not aware” of any problems his mother had with Augustus. An autopsy was carried out yesterday on Mrs Weilung’s body at the Forensic Sciences Centre, but up to late yesterday evening, investigating officers had not returned to the West End police station and as such, the results of the autopsy could not be released to the media.

According to reports, around 4 pm on Wednesday, Weilung  was locked in her home at Team Drive, Majuba Cross Road, Diego Martin while watching television, and the building set ablaze. Moments later Augustus, who five months ago was taken off the street by Weilung and offered the job, drank  poison and collapsed at the front of the burning house. Weilung’s granddaughter Tiffany, on seeing smoke billowing at the back of the house telephoned the police. West End police arrived on the scene along with fire officers who had to cut down the front iron gate to gain access to the burning house.

Weilung’s home, which is an annexe at the back of the house was completely destroyed while the front of the house, where her only son, Peter Anthony, lives with his wife Simone and their daughter Tiffany, was untouched by the blaze. When firemen extinguished the blaze, they came across the charred, unrecognisable and smoking remains of Mrs Weilung, among the ruins. Cpl Rivas of West End police station is continuing investigations.