The body of Richard Ramkissoon, 21, of Sisters Village West Bank Demerara (WBD) was on Tuesday morning discovered at the Orangestein, West Coast Demerara (WCD) foreshore after he reportedly drowned on Sunday.
This publication understands that the young man’s body was found about 07:30 hrs between boulders at the Orangestein foreshore.
It was reported that the man had gone to the koker in Parika, East Bank Essequibo with his girlfriend on Sunday to swim in the Essequibo River and it was during the outing, he reportedly drowned.
Ramkissoon was reportedly carrying his girlfriend on his shoulders and as they ventured farther out into the River, the young man suddenly disappeared under the water, while his girlfriend, who could not swim, started to shout for help as she fought to stay above the water.
The young woman was allegedly rescued by public-spirited citizens nearby, but Ramkissoon could not be saved.
Speaking with Inews on Tuesday, the young man’s father, Gulkarran Ramkissoon, explained that he last spoke to his son on Saturday as he was leaving work to meet his girlfriend in Parika.
The man noted that his son did not return home that day and on Sunday morning, the two spoke during which time the young man said he was going to return home later in the day.
The distraught father explained that about 15:15hrs that afternoon, he called to inform his son that his boss wanted him to be at work early the next day, but a young woman answered the phone and related the tragic news.
“When meh ask she where meh son deh, she didn’t answer right away and she cry lil. So me ask she ‘what happened to meh son, somebody beat he or he get lock up?’, she still nah answer. Then she say he drowned and them nah find he. So me ask if he dead and she say yes,” the man told this newspaper.
The grieving father went on to say that after receiving the news, he began to panic and so he called his relatives to verify if his son had indeed drowned. At Parika, the relatives discovered that the incident occurred since 12:00h on Sunday.
Holding back his tears, the man continued to relate what he was told of how his son drowned. The young woman told the Police that after she was rescued, she informed persons that her boyfriend was also there, but the search for the young man was futile.
The elder Ramkissoon related to this publication the condition of his son’s body after it was found. He said his son had lost a full head of hair and his face was swollen. The man added that the upper part of his son’s leg was swollen. A post-mortem examination of the body of the 21-year-old has been scheduled for today. Ramkissoon leaves to mourn his parents and four younger siblings.
