Relatives attack reporter

It started off as a sombre, tear-filled affair in which relatives gathered at the Waterloo Cremation site in Carapichaima to bid a final farewell to Stephanie Boodram-Narinesingh, 11, who was found dead on Monday with her alleged boyfriend. But it turned into a angry shouting match as relatives turned on Newsday’s South Bureau photographer Dave Persad and staff reporter Rhondor Dowlat, who were covering the event. Stephanie, 11, of Little Coora Road, Cumuto, and 24-year-old gardener, Jairam Baldeo of Cunaripo, were found dead in a forested area off Galera Road, Toco around 9.40 am on Monday. The bodies were found lying one on top of the other by a coconut vendor. “What are you doing here? Who call you here? Look you better jump in your car and move out,” an angry male relative told Persad as he and this reporter arrived to cover the cremation.

“We don’t want you all here because all yuh only interested in the boy’s side of the story and not the girl’s side. There is more to this matter than what is really being reported,” the angry male relative shouted. “Did you all get permission to come here and cover the funeral?” another relative asked loudly, to which he was told the cremation site was a public place and no permission was needed. After a brief lull in the proceedings caused by the outburst of the two relatives, the cremation proceeded. the Hindu priest resumed the ceremony, performing funeral rites. Fingers of relatives and onlookers pointed from all sides, claiming the media showed bias in its reporting and that it brought much hurt and disgrace to Stephanie’s relatives and friends. Sad faces prevailed as the pyre was set alight to burn Stephanie’s body on her 12th birthday yesterday. Stephanie’s mother Dolly Boodram-Narinesingh faced a barrage of questions from persons gathered who came out in their numbers to pay their last respects. “Why did this have to happen to such a young girl like this? God only knows what took place on that fateful day.”