Venezuelan woman fears daughter, 16, was kidnapped

The mother of a missing 16-year-old Venezuelan girl believes that someone has kidnapped her.

At her Moruga home on Sunday, an emotional Rosana Theresa Gonzales said, "Gabriella, come home baby. Call Mama."

Between sobs, Gonzales added, "I need my daughter. I am suffering. Please bring her home."

Gonzales said someone called the police on Sunday morning and pretended to be her.

“Police came this morning thinking my daughter came back home and was safe. They said her ‘mother’ called them. It was not me, and she is still missing!” Gonzales said.

Gonzales last saw her daughter Gabriella Marin Gonzales on Wednesday at about 10 am.

She left the family's humble wooden structure at La Fortune Trace, an agricultural-based community, saying she was going to look for work in the Chaguanas district.

The minor was hoping to take care of a "bambino" (meaning someone's baby or young child.)

On Thursday, someone called the family saying Gabriella was injured in an accident and was at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mount Hope.

“The person told my son that the accident happened somewhere in Cunupia on Wednesday night. When we got the news of the accident on Thursday, we hired a car to see her. When we reached, the staff members told us Gabriella had to get a CT scan,” Gonzales said.

“I did not get to see her. On Friday, we went back, but the receptionist said she had left with someone.”

From what the family was told, staff members initially believed Gabriella was 20. The male person she left with falsely claimed to be a relative. All calls and messages to Gabriella’s cell phone have gone unanswered.

To make matters worse, a woman called Gabriella’s brother's phone on Friday.

“The person did not ask for a ransom but wanted me to meet her somewhere in San Fernando. I really wanted to go, but they (people) said it was unsafe. We are not rich people,” Gonzales said.

“I cannot eat or sleep properly. Today is four days since I saw her. My husband is 70 and is worried.”

Gonzales reported Gabriella missing to St Joseph police on Friday.

Gonzales is the mother of eight, between 21 and 11, and grandmother of seven.

The house does not have electricity, and Gonzales does gardening and odd jobs to help care for the family.

The family previously lived in Tucupita. On reaching Trinidad, they were living in a make-shift tent in the Moruga forest.

Villagers Reanne Sonnylal and her sister Roxanne have built a structure for the family to stay.

Sonnylal said, “It was hard on them in the forest exposed to so much rain. The family did not even have a mattress. Snakes were crawling on the ground. I hired some of the men who work in my garden to build the house.”

Cunupia police could not confirm receiving any reports of an accident in the district on Wednesday involving Gabriella.

Newsday learnt that the Anti-kidnapping Unit is also investigating the disappearance.

On Saturday, the police called on the public to help find Gabriella.

Gabriella is about five feet tall and light brown in complexion. She has a slim build with long dark hair and grey eyes. Gabriella also has tattoos on her right hand.

She was last seen wearing long black pants, an orange jacket and white slippers.

Police are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact St Joseph at 662-4038/2522 or any police station.

They can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS, or police at 555, 999, 911 or share information via the TTPS App.