By: La’Wanda McAllister
In a gruesome discovery that sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community of Russel Street, Georgetown, the body of an 88-year-old woman was this morning found, unceremoniously dumped among a thicket of bushes just a stone’s throw away from her humble abode.
The victim, who was later identified as Patricia Bovell, was reportedly wrapped in a bed sheet, which only added to the haunting mystery surrounding her untimely demise.
According to her distraught niece, Bovell was a mother of three, but only one of her offspring remains alive and is residing abroad. The senior citizen had already lost her husband and two other children to the cruel whims of fate.
A few days before the grim discovery, Bovell’s family grew increasingly concerned when they were unable to reach her by phone. The woman’s niece told this publication that after her grandmother became unreachable, they contacted her neighbours who told them that they heard screams coming from the woman’s house on Sunday night.
With mounting worry, they finally decided to contact the police, who promptly launched an investigation into her disappearance.
During the course of their inquiries, the victim’s grandson, with whom she had been residing, was taken into custody on suspicion of foul play.
The young man initially claimed he had taken his grandmother to the hospital, but when the authorities attempted to verify his story, they came up empty-handed.
As such, the investigators persisted with their questioning, determined to uncover the truth behind Bovell’s disappearance.
On Wednesday morning, the elderly woman’s niece recounted the harrowing moment when they stumbled upon the grisly scene.
The woman said she and her family formed a search team to look for her grandmother, and they combed through the area where she had lived, scouring every nook and cranny for any sign of their beloved relative.
Eventually, they stumbled upon an empty lot, where a strong stench was emanating. Suddenly, she said a bloodied and swollen finger protruded from beneath a discarded sheet.
Horrified and sickened, the family immediately fled the scene and contacted the police.
As the investigation continued to unfold, a throng of curious onlookers gathered to bear witness to the unfolding drama.
Bovell’s granddaughter further told this publication that the suspect had been abusive to his grandmother for years. She said just recently, her cousin assaulted the woman and even kicked her down the stairs, which caused her to break her hands.
The woman said they made several reports of the abuse but despite their efforts to get the man away from the pensioner, she continued to beg for him to stay as she refused to put her late daughter’s son on the streets.
When asked if the suspect suffers from any mental illnesses, the woman responded “no”.
Meanwhile, the woman’s neighbours related to this publication that most days they are awakened by the woman’s screams. “When she come home with her pension, we would hear him saying ‘way the money deh! Pass yo pension now!”.
The neighbour said this is usually followed by a sound beating. Investigations are ongoing.
