Trini twin sisters found dead in NYC

Twin sisters, thought to be TT nationals, were found dead in their home in Brooklyn, New York City, of unknown causes in a tragedy that has been reported in both the US and UK media.

Dead are Marie Lynne Alleyne and Marie Anne Alleyne, both 69, said to originate from South Trinidad. They had lived in Crown Heights for 20 years.

Firemen investigating a neighbour’s complaints of a flooded basement last Friday, traced the water to a burst pipe in the twins’ house and found the women’s bodies in an advanced state of decomposition Friends said they were inseparable and dressed alike in black shirts, blue skirts, trenchcoats and berets. Neither was married nor had children.

There were no signs of forced entry nor any visible trauma to the bodies. Speculation is that the duo may have frozen to death, as investigators found the heating in the house was not working and the weather was very cold.

Further speculation is that the sister found dead in the hallway probably died first and since she was no longer able to help her ill sibling, the latter, who was bedridden, died in her bed. An autopsy and medical examiner’s report is awaited.

The twins taught Sunday school at the 275-member Good Tidings Gospel Chapel until one fell ill a year ago. A church staff member yesterday told Newsday the congregation was “very, very sad” at news of their passing.

“We can’t get over it. The only good thing in all this is that their neighbours spoke very well of them.”

She said a nephew of the twins is set to go to Brooklyn from Trinidad and the funeral will be some time next week.

New York Newsday said property records for the house at 1023 Union Street, Crown Heights showed the sisters bought it in 1998 with a $16,700 mortgage.

The sisters had worked for a bank in Manhattan until they retired, and when a year ago one fell ill, the other became her caregiver . Church members checked on them once a week.

Neighbour Gloria Briggs told media, “This is unbelievable. For both of them to be gone like that. This is just strange, really strange.”

However, another neighbour drew comfort from the twins being together in life and death, reasoning, “One probably would have been really sad if the other had died.”