Rescued in Arouca

A living nightmare for Arouca parents Deon and Yasmin Bedase ended at 11 am yesterday, when their three-year-old son Brian, who was kidnapped on Monday night, was reunited with them. Tears of joy streamed down the couple’s faces, moments after the rescued child, dressed in a blue hospital gown and disposable pampers, was handed over to them by a female police officer. Brian, 3, who was given a tin of imported butter cookies by the police, nervously held on to his weeping mother Yasmin in the yard of their Adjam Street, Tacarigua home yesterday. Amid thunderous clapping by neighbours, friends and well wishers, Brian remained silent but smiled as he looked on at the activities at his home. Earlier on, the child’s father stood in his yard staring at the roadway as rain poured non-stop.

He wept openly as he spoke of the emotional hardship of not knowing where his son was kept or if he was in danger. Deon Bedase said that following the robbery and kidnapping at his home on Monday night, he suspected that he knew the persons responsible for the kidnapping.  Key information was then supplied to the police. Deon has vowed to spend more time with his family. Around 9 am yesterday, officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, the Anti-Crime Unit, the Northern Division Task Force and CID arrested three men — aged 22  — of Bon Air Gardens, Arouca in connection with the kidnapping. While the suspects were being questioned, a woman telephoned the police and said that she saw a child sitting in the gallery of a house at Windy Hill, Arouca.

Police officers including Insp John Martinez, Sgt Joseph Issac and acting Cpl Baptiste, PCs Matas, Scipio and Singh went to the house where they saw the child. The frightened child was placed in a police vehicle and taken to the Paediatric Section of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where he was treated. The child was naked when found and told the police that he was fed biscuit and water. He was  not beaten or harmed in any way, but suffered mosquito bites to his legs. After being reunited with his family, Brian ate snacks, was given a bath and fed a bottle of milk. He mingled with his brother Jason, 2, and children who gathered at his home but did not mention anything about his kidnapping. Last night, his parents held a prayer meeting at their home and they intend to hold a special Hindu prayer meeting later this week.

His relieved mother told Newsday that when Brian was kidnapped she received support from people of all religions and she was grateful for the support. She thanked the nation, the police, Rev Oswald David, and various pundits who all prayed for the safe return of her son. “I am so relieved that my son is safe and back home,” said Yasmin, who was surrounded by close friends and relatives. Police sources revealed that the three suspects detained are employees of the rescued child’s father. They will be placed on identification parade today. The owner of the house where the child was found was contacted at a Barataria house yesterday, and he accompanied police officers to the house. The man said that he built the house but was not living in it. He said he did not have any knowledge that the kidnapped child was kept at his house. Investigations are continuing. Yesterday, the police thanked the media for their role in assisting the police which resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of the victim.