Family of six who lost parents in car crash: We'll pull together

ANGELA Harroo says it feels like she’s trapped in a nightmare she cannot wake from. What began as a simple visit to family in Valencia ended in unimaginable tragedy on June 8, when her second son, David Harroo, his wife, Jennifer Ramourtarsingh, and their seven-year-old daughter, Sameerah, were involved in a devastating accident.

The couple’s Kia K2700 veered off the Eastern Main Road in Wallerfield and crashed into a ditch, killing both David and Jennifer. Sameerah remains in critical condition.

Police reports say the crash occurred around 10.20 am. Officers arrived to find the family’s van in a ditch on the southern side of the roadway.

The tragedy has left six children orphaned. Among them is 18-year-old Shanniah Harroo, who only recently marked a milestone birthday, April 23, a day she shared with her now-deceased father.

Speaking with Newsday on June 9 at her grandmother’s garage in Arouca, which shares a yard with the house her parents once lived in, Shanniah recalled her last birthday with her father.

“I wanted to lime with friends for my 18th,” she said softly. “But Daddy and I always shared a birthday together, so I spent it with him, like always. I didn’t mind. Now, it’s a memory I’ll always cherish.”

Shanniah, a student at Johnson’s Finishing School in Arima, dreams of becoming an IT technician. But her future now feels uncertain.

“I know I have to step up and help with the younger ones now,” she said.

She smiled briefly as she remembered her parents. “Mommy could cook anything: she used to make the best roti. And Daddy? His curry could rival anybody’s.”

Two of her younger siblings sat quietly throughout the interview, nodding in agreement.

Asked what values her parents instilled in her, Shanniah said, “I saw how hard they worked, even when things weren’t easy. I’ve learnt to be humble and appreciate the effort they made for us.”

Harroo, Shanniah's grandmother, nodded gently. “It’s all of us now. We have to pull together,” she said, speaking about the care of her grandchildren.

Harroo, 62, sat in a haze of disbelief, her voice trembling as she fought back tears.

“No mother should ever have to bury their child. This can’t be real. I feel like I’m living in a dream.”

She described David as a quiet, hard-working man, someone who never brought trouble and stayed focused on his family.

Her eldest son, Kylon Harroo, sat nearby, occasionally interjecting. He, too, wrestled with the weight of the moment.

“Me and my brother weren’t that close growing up,” he admitted.

“But as we got older, we reconnected. I had fixed the van he was driving... He always used to boast about how a good job I did. I’m glad we were on good terms before he passed.”

Kylon’s wife is also Jennifer’s sister, which makes the loss feel doubly heavy.

Kylon added, “Now, his children, they’re all our responsibility.”

As he spoke, he often paused and looked away.

“It’s a lot,” he says.

Harroo believes the crash may have been caused by another vehicle giving them a "bad drive" and forcing them off the road.

Her voice cracked as she spoke about Sameerah – her seven-year-old granddaughter who is currently being treated at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

“She has a fractured skull, cracked ribs… and her face…” Her voice fading as she shook her head.

Seeing her grandmother struggle, Shanniah placed a comforting hand on her arm.

“The doctors said children are strong. They’re hopeful she’ll pull through,” Shanniah says.

Harroo recounted how they received the tragic news.

“A maxi driver found David’s ID at the crash. He found our house and came to deliver the news. He’s a good man.”

Family will focus on the children

Through the pain, she added, “It’s very hard right now. My husband said the children are all our responsibility. I’m not well myself, but I’m trying.”

Kylon nodded.

“Right now, everything just feels messed up. Everybody’s mind is all over the place. But what’s done is done. We can’t change what happened. What we can do is focus on the children and make sure they’re as comfortable as possible. That they have a sense of peace.”

When asked what “peace” looks like, he replied, “We can’t make things perfect. But we can make sure they go to school and that they keep some sense of normalcy. That’s important.”

The family has not yet been offered counselling or social services, but Kylon says they are open to the support, especially for the children.

“As adults, we try to hold things together. But those children need help to process this. They deserve that.”

He acknowledged the financial burden the family now faces. “David was a proud, hard-working man. But taking on six children, it won’t be easy. We’ll need help. There are school expenses, food, clothes… a lot of things.”

Harroo nodded in agreement.

Asked whether they’ve been able to cover the funeral and medical expenses, Kylon said, “We’re pooling our resources for both the burial and for our niece’s hospital care. If there’s any support the government or public can give, we welcome it. Right now, it’s just a lot happening all at once.”

He drifted back to memories of his brother.

“David wasn’t the talkative type. Quiet. But if he needed something, he wouldn’t ask unless it was serious. He appreciated everything. He’d pass by my garage and just honk.”

After Kylon helped him get the van, David began doing small transport jobs to earn income. He and Jennifer had plans of building a mobile pie shop. They hoped to construct a tent over the tray of the van, turning it into a roadside kitchen.

Their shared love of cooking, Kylon says, passed down to their 11-year-old daughter, Shenlanah.

Harroo smiled faintly at the thought before saying,

“My son was always the quietest child. From small. I remember once, I was looking all over for him, and he was just curled up asleep inside a box. That’s the kind of child he was. Never a trouble.”

She paused before concluding.

“We lost great people. And even in all this pain, we’re trying to hold things together. Cooking reminds me of them. Especially curry: you could smell their curry from out on the road. Now, whenever I smell it, it will feel like home.”

Car crashes seem to rise as rainy season begins

The fatal crash that claimed the lives of David Harroo and Jennifer Ramourtarsingh is part of a string of often fatal road accidents that have marred the last few weeks and coincided with the start of the rainy season.

Also on June 8, mechanic Kenzie Blondell, 34, of Charles Street, La Romaine died in a motorcycle crash while riding along the Archibald De Leon Highway in Point Fortin.

On May 31, a Hyundai Creta veered off the highway in Claxton Bay and flipped.

All four occupants, including a nine-year-old child, were killed on impact. The victims were identified as driver Steve Elder of Cunupia, Kizzy Cato of Laventille, Kathlyn Wright, and the unnamed child. A male front-seat passenger was the only survivor.

On May 30, Victor Ryan of La Brea died when the driver of the taxi he was in lost control and crashed into the guard rail of the south-bound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway near Gasparillo.

As the death toll mounted, police issued an urgent appeal on June 1, calling on motorists to drive more responsibly. Senior Superintendent of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch, Lincoln Daly, pointed to poor judgement, speeding, and mobile phone use as recurring causes of deadly crashes.

Road Safety Project Coordinator Sgt Brent Batson also weighed in, stressing the life-saving role of seatbelts. He said between May 30 and June 1, officers issued 160 tickets to drivers and passengers who failed to wear them.

“An unbelted occupant ejected during a crash is four times more likely to be killed,” Batson said. “Seatbelts are personal protective equipment: they improve your chance of survival.”