Penal mom killed by abusive relative

Charmaine Baptiste, 38, had planned an escape, but when she made a dash to the door during the early hours of Tuesday morning, she was grabbed.

Police said Baptiste was repeatedly stabbed and slashed about her body in the house by the relative at Smart Avenue, Latchoos Road.

The relative, 46, ingested a poisonous substance in a failed suicide bid, a police report stated. He was in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday.

Police yesterday related the details about Baptiste’s murder which began with two years of complaints to Community Police at the Penal Police Station. Baptiste, a mother of two, had been beaten frequently at her home. Community Police had advised her to take out a restraining order, but the woman refused in fear for her life.

Baptiste’s two children, ages 13 and 23, did not reside with her.

Confirming that they had repeatedly admonished the relative about his conduct, police yesterday said they became concerned for Baptiste’s life.

Baptiste left the house two months ago, but returned on Monday at 9 am. A police report stated the woman had apparently returned to the house to retrieve her personal belongings. However, the house was locked, police said, and Baptiste waited for the relative to return.

According to the report, Baptiste cooked a meal for the relative, but was prevented from leaving the house. Neighbours who heard a verbal confrontation between the two, the report stated, telephoned the Penal Police Station. However, police said yesterday that when they went to the home on Monday night, Baptiste told them she was "allright." Hours later at about 4 am yesterday, a party of policemen found the semi-conscious relative next to Baptiste’s lifeless body on the floor in the bedroom.

The relative’s hands were wrapped around Baptiste. Police said Baptiste’s body bore seven gaping wounds to the face and body. Investigators seized a bloody 12-inch garden knife. Police said that blood-stained hand-prints were splattered on the bedroom walls, bed and doors.

The report stated that another relative, who was asleep, fled when the commotion started. The relative told Newsday, "I was sleeping and the screams woke me up. I ran out the house."

Preliminary investigations by police revealed that Baptiste had got out of her bed quietly and attempted to flee the house through the front door. She was stabbed, then dragged back into the bedroom.

Yesterday, Baptiste’s sister, Marcia Daniel, told Newsday that the relative had frequently threatened to kill Baptiste. She said Baptiste had been residing with another sister in Cachipe Village, Moruga. Recalling the last conversation she had with Baptiste, Daniel said, "Last Saturday, Charmaine told me that she was going home to get her passport and other documents."

Daniel said Baptiste had also told her that the police would accompany her to the house. "We all thought she would be safe because the police would be there. I don’t know why she went alone," Daniel said.

A district medical officer viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Forensic Science Centre where an autopsy was expected to be performed yesterday.

Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Gopiehcan Ganga, Supt Samuel Jemmot and Sgt Inniss Minors.