FYRISH VILLAGE, BERBICE – A 26-year-old woman is currently under police guard at the Port Mourant Public Hospital after she allegedly suffocated her seven-year-old daughter and attempted to kill her young son following a domestic dispute.
The deceased has been identified as Isabella Dabidyal. Her one-year, nine-month-old brother, Ethan, survived an attempted strangulation during the incident. The children’s mother, Sarah Shivpersaud, is expected to face charges for murder and attempted murder once she is medically cleared.
The tragedy reportedly unfolded after the children’s father, Kirwayne Dabidyal, left the family home on Thursday following a dispute to stay with his mother in Skeldon. According to Dabidyal, Shivpersaud contacted him on Sunday morning with a dire warning: he had 15 minutes to return home, or he would “regret it”.
Dabidyal recounted a subsequent video call from Shivpersaud that showed the children lying motionless on the ground. Despite his distress, he told reporters, “It was too late… If I could have done anything to save my daughter, I would have”.
The alarm was first raised by the suspect’s mother, Lalita Bridgelall, who became concerned after seeing a photograph Shivpersaud posted to social media. The image, featuring the mother and her two children, was captioned: “Me and my babies last pic! I’m sorry! May God forgive me”.
Bridgelall rushed to the Fyrish Village residence, where she found the front door padlocked from the outside. After gaining entry with assistance, she discovered Shivpersaud and the two children unresponsive.
Police reports confirm that while Isabella was suffocated, Ethan survived the attempt on his life. Shivpersaud was found with self-inflicted wounds to both her ankles. Isabella was tragically pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
While the father noted that there was food present in the home when he returned after the incident, the underlying motives beyond the domestic dispute remain part of the active investigation. Shivpersaud remains hospitalized as authorities finalize their case for the court.