Isiahilia’s autopsy confirms drowning

DROWNED: Isiahilia Sterling
DROWNED: Isiahilia Sterling

An autopsy on the body of Isiahilia Sterling, two, who died after being fished out of the waters of Williams Bay, Chaguaramas, has confirmed that she drowned.

The autopsy was done at the Port of Spain General Hospital on Monday.

A police source told Newsday Isiahilia’s 19-year-old mother, Rizpah Sterling, also the mother of another daughter, was not detained for questioning, but police spoke with her briefly. Newsday was told that while a full interview had not yet taken place, police remain in close contact with her.

Newsday tried to reach the teenage mother, but relatives said she was sleeping and could not come to the phone.

Funeral arrangements are reportedly being made for the child, but no date has been finalised. Last Sunday, Isiahilia was among seven children and seven adults on a family outing to Williams Bay.

Sterling told Newsday she had been watching both her children for the entire time, but took her eyes off Isiahilia for a moment to take out a plate of food. That was when an alarm was raised, and Isiahilia was found floating face-down in the sea.

She was taken to the St James infirmary, but died despite doctors’ best efforts to resuscitate her.

Investigations are ongoing.

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