Police explain Bharatt’s kidnap suspect’s death: He fell from a chair

THE police service says the suspect in the Andrea Bharatt kidnapping, who died on Monday morning while in custody, was injured while being arrested at his home and fell three times, once off a chair at the Arima hospital.

Andrew “Solo” Morris, 36, was also diabetic and hypertensive.

His relatives were not told of his death until Wednesday afternoon, when members of the Victim and Witness Support Unit went to his home and offered the family counselling. The family told their attorney that was when they heard about his death.

Another suspect, who was previously charged with 70 offences between 2004 and 2017, with 23 of them being dismissed because officers failed to attend court, is currently hospitalised.

Newsday was told that the 35-year-old was up to Wednesday night at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex after he was “subdued” while trying to escape.

The hospitalised suspect, who was released on bail last year, was held at his San Juan home on Sunday morning. Relatives said they were told about his hospitalisation on Tuesday night after a friend of the family alerted them. They claim they have not received any information from the police about how he ended up in the ICU.

Asked how the man ended up in the ICU, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said: "He tried to escape whilst in custody and we had to run him down. Whilst escaping, police had to subdue him. They received injuries as well."

Morris was arrested on Sunday at around 3.30 am in relation to Bharatt’s disappearance.

Bharatt, 22, a clerk at the Arima magistrates' court, went missing after getting into a car she believed to be a taxi last Friday afternoon at King Street, Arima. A co-worker who travelled with her was dropped off safely at her home, but Bharatt never arrived home.

Police and members of the Defence Force have been searching the forested area in Sangre Grande, joined by hunters and hikers.

A total of $75,000 as a reward has been offered for information that will help find Bharatt.

In a media release on Wednesday, the police said when officers assigned to the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) went to his Tumpuna Road home, Morris "immediately began to act violently."

While they were trying to subdue him, Morris fell. He was then arrested, allowed to get clothing and then taken into police custody. The release said police officers were also injured.

"He (Morris) was offered medical attention, however he responded, 'I is a big man. I good.'"

Throughout the day, the police said, Morris, who relatives confirmed was a diabetic and hypertensive, refused both food and medical treatment. He was eventually taken to the Arima hospital around 10 pm as part of the police service’s routine in handling suspects.

"While being attended to at the hospital, Morris who was seated on a chair, fell over and had to be assisted. He later went to another room to give a urine sample and again fell and had to be assisted. He was subsequently taken to the emergency room for treatment where he was pronounced dead around 12:45 am February 1."

While the Police Communications Unit claims Morris died after falling three times, police sources told Newsday he was beaten at his home and at the Malabar Police Station.

But Griffith said, "We have absolutely no information of any suspect being beaten and died (sic). The information that I have is that there were five suspects, one of them was involved in a confrontation with the police. The officers were also injured. Everything was done by police to assist the individual and he died.

"We provided him with everything he required. He did not want anything to eat and he just fell down and collapsed and fell off a chair. The police immediately had medical attention provided for him."

Morris was the father of one and worked at Arawak Ltd as a truck driver. The one-time maxi driver also reared animals and leased and sold cars on a “work-to-own” basis.

He worked both Friday and Saturday, his co-workers told Newsday, and questioned when he would have got time to be involved in kidnapping.

“That man was a real hard worker. He went through plenty in life and changed his life around. He was supposed to get married this year,” one of his friends said.

Morris and the suspect in ICU were friends from childhood. It was Morris who bailed the hospitalised suspect out of jail last year when others refused to, telling friends everyone deserves a second chance.

Morris was charged 14 times,  most recently in March 2018, when he paid a $2,500 fine for possession of marijuana. He had eight pending matters, according to his criminal record, seven of which were robbery with aggravation stemming from an incident in July 2006. The other charge was using insulting language in March 2007. His other matters were either dismissed or he was ordered to pay a fine.

Morris' friends rejected the idea that he died as a result of three falls and his refusal to eat between his arrest and his hospital visit. The police statement claimed Morris refused food, accepting only water and juice.

He was described as a family man who did all he could to support his family. Relatives of the deceased told their attorney that they are considering, even before the first one is completed, having a second autopsy.
WITH REPORTING BY SHANE SUPERVILLE