The killing of Mariah Seenath is a chilling reminder that the scourge of murder in Trinidad and Tobago spares no one—not even the most innocent among us.
Mariah’s life was cut tragically short before she could finish Form Three or pursue the dreams she had just begun to voice.
On September 20, Mariah left her grandmother’s home to walk to her father’s house—a route she had often taken with her siblings. Hours later, her body was discovered in bushes near the Friendship Village Recreation Ground. An autopsy confirmed blunt force trauma to the head, signs of strangulation, bruises, and a broken nose.
Her funeral, held at St John’s Open Bible Church, was a solemn reminder of the vulnerability of children in a society still grappling with escalating violence.
Speaking from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar called Mariah’s death “a tragedy for all of us … particularly more tragic when it is a child.” She pledged to strengthen the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT) and work more closely with families to prevent violence and protect vulnerable youth.
Yet, while official pledges and expressions of grief are necessary, they are not sufficient. Each incident sparks alarm, grief and outrage—but the cycle of violence persists. Tears alone do not save lives. Protecting T&T’s youngest citizens requires more than the resources and mandate of the Children’s Authority, the statutory body charged with safeguarding children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It demands the vigilance, compassion, and active involvement of every right-thinking, law-abiding citizen.
History offers grim reminders of the threats children face, even in their own homes. The case of four-year-old Amy Emily Annamunthodo, who was murdered in 2006, remains seared into the nation’s consciousness. Her stepfather, Marlon King, was recently ordered to face a third trial after previous convictions were overturned. All these years later, the long shadow cast by Amy’s death reflects not only the enduring pain for families but also the systemic challenges in delivering justice and protecting children.
Another case that continues to evoke strong emotions occurred on September 21, 2023, when a mass shooting in the Heights of Guanapo, Arima, claimed the lives of four individuals, including three children: Faith Peterkin, 10; Arianna Peterkin, 14; and Shane Peterkin, 17.
These incidents underscore a harsh reality: children are not immune to the dangers of a violent society, and sometimes, the home—a place meant to offer safety—fails to shield them.
T&T’s future is inseparable from the well-being of its youngest citizens. When children are lost to violence, it is not only families who grieve, but the nation itself, as it is diminished in potential, hope, and promise.
The responsibility to protect them, however, cannot rest solely with government agencies or statutory bodies; it requires collective societal action. Communities, schools, religious organisations, and every citizen must play an active role in nurturing safe spaces, reporting threats, and fostering environments where children can thrive.
Mariah, Amy, Faith, Arianna, Shane, and all the other murdered children—their lives remind us that this country’s greatest loss is measured not just in statistics, but in stolen futures.
Safeguarding the next generation is a moral imperative, one that demands courage, vigilance, and unwavering commitment from all of us. Anything less is a betrayal of the nation’s children and of T&T’s own potential.
