Boy, 9, abducted near home

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy was abducted near his home on Saturday evening but up to late yesterday no ransom demands had been made for his safe return.

Police reports are that around 6.30 pm on Saturday, Micha Bernard was riding his bicycle along Don Miguel Road, San Juan.  He was in company with a 50-year-old cousin and had just returned from a birthday party on Eleventh Street. A heavily tinted green car pulled alongside and a man armed with a pistol grabbed Bernard, a student of the Barataria Anglican School. Police said Bernard’s cousin made a valiant effort to get him back, but his attempts were futile. On seeing the commotion, the relative attempted to get closer but an another occupant of the green car came out with a shotgun and threatened the man’s life. The men then placed Bernard in the vehicle and drove off.

The boy is the son of Marlon Bernard, a Customs Clerk, and Marcia Bernard, a clerk at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. He is a relative of retired Chief Justice Clinton Bernard, Chairman of the Piarco Commission of Inquiry. The abduction took place in full view of at least 20 people in front of the residence of a relative of the victim’s mother. A report was made and officers headed by Cpl Francis Vidale of the Barataria/El Socorro CID visited the scene.  The Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) was then contacted.

Police sources say they are working on several theories and are even checking on a possible link between the abduction and the shooting death of former Customs Officer Carl DeSouza. But the child’s father, who has a licence from the Customs Brokers Board of Trinidad and Tobago to operate as a Customs Clerk, told Newsday he did not believe his son’s abduction was linked to DeSouza’s murder since DeSouza’s line of work was totally different to his. He also said there is no conflict or custody battle between him and his ex-wife, with whom his son lives at Sixth Street, Barataria. The elder Bernard said is of the firm belief that the abduction is a simple case of mistaken identity. “People always resemble people,” he said. 

What makes the situation worse, he added, is that there have been no ransom calls to any of their relatives. He also said if kidnappers are targetting people, they ought to pounce on people with money or drugs. “We are none of the above,” he stated categorically. Bernard said he can neither sleep nor eat and his son’s mother is in an even worse state. The boy’s relatives are appealing to the public to contact them as soon as possible if they know of young Bernard’s whereabouts. The Anti Kidnapping Squad and members of the Barataria/El Socorro CID are continuing investigations.