Body found in Cunupia river identified

The decomposing body found wrapped in a rug and dumped in a river at Penn Street, Cunupia was identified yesterday as that of missing 21-year-old Mamoral #2 villager, Jasmine Rattan.

On Sunday, at about 10.30 am police received a report of a body being found. When they arrived at the scene, they saw the decomposing body dressed in blue jeans and a pink and white bra. Rattan, of Lee Kham Road, Mamoral went missing on Tuesday last.

Her mother Lisa Nagil went to the Brasso Police Station last Wednesday and reported that her daughter left home to meet a man in Curepe, only known as Jimmy, concerning a job.

Nagil said at about 8.30 pm on Tuesday, she received a telephone call from Rattan, also known as Isabella Joseph, saying she was liming with a friend named Crystal at KFC. Nagil said when her daughter failed to return home that night, she tried to make contact with her but was unsuccessful. She told police her daughter was last seen wearing a fitted jeans, a multi-coloured top, pink purse and earrings with the initials “JI” in one ear and the word “Boss” on the other.

Police believe Rattan may have been killed elsewhere and her body dumped in the river. An autopsy yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James revealed Rattan died from blunt force trauma. Grieving relatives described her as a wonderful person who was desperate to find a job to assist her family. A relative, who did not wish to give his name, said he wanted to advise young women seeking employment to be cautious about venturing to places to meet people who may have ulterior motives.

“This child did not do any harm to anybody,” he said. “She was a young woman who had dreams of a bright future, and to snuff out her life like this is inhumane. We want justice and, even if we do not get justice from the law, we know the person who carried out this devilish act will suffer even a worst fate than what happened to our dear Jasmine.”

Her mother and father Joseph Rattan were inconsolable yesterday upon leaving the Forensic Science Centre after viewing the body.