Sharday's family unable to celebrate her 21st birthday

MISSING nursing assistant Sharday Emmanuel would have celebrated her 21st birthday today, but there was no celebration at her Mamoral #1 home. Instead, her parents Junior and Marilyn sought solace in the presence of a Mt St Benedict monk who prayed with and counselled the distressed couple.

Emmanuel went missing on June 27 and has not been seen or heard from since.

In the past, her birthday was usually celebrated with a beach lime with her parents and brother.

Last year they went to Maracas beach and had bake and shark.

Junior said the celebration remained etched in his mind as he was looking forward to his daughter’s birthday this year.

On Sunday night, he prayed to St Anthony asking for his daughter to be reunited with her family.

He said if Emmanuel was at home yesterday, he would have taken her to Mount St Benedict to pray and then let her decide what she wanted to do.

He said to the people who he believes is holding his daughter hostage, “She is officially an adult now and if she is going through anything she could reach out to us. Please let us know that she is okay, that is all we want to hear. We know deep in our hearts that she is alive.”

After leaving Mt St Benedict yesterday, Junior and his wife went to San Fernando where they distributed posters with Emmanuel’s photo.

“I am worried about her mother because she always seem to be lost in thought, but were it not for prayers I think we would have gone crazy.”

On June 27, Emmanuel left her home after telling relatives she was going to Chaguanas to collect something. When Emmanuel failed to return home, a missing-person report was made at the Brasso police station and to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

A 23-year-old Longdenville welder was detained but was ordered released pending further investigations. Police believe Emmanuel was murdered, but has yet to be found.