Mom stabbed to death in front of her children

“Open the door quickly, look, Mammy getting stabbed,” cried 12-year-old Britney Sewlal as she ran to her neighbour’s home after witnessing a male relative stabbing her mother, Shanti Sewlal, with a kitchen knife. Britney’s nine-year-old brother, Brian Sewlal, became so confused he ran around in circles screaming. As the 36-year-old suspect escaped, Sewlal dragged herself to her garage, where she collapsed and died with the knife protruding from her chest.

Relatives at Sewlal’s Esmeralda Branch Trace, Whiteland, home said yesterday she had died a horrible death because she wanted to fix her life and had thrown the suspect out of her house two months ago. On Monday night, the suspect’s anger came to a boiling point as he waited patiently for Sewlal to come home from work.

According to police, she reached home around 8 pm and as she entered her bedroom with her two children, the suspect, who was hiding in nearby bushes, rushed in and attacked her. He stabbed her several times and in the final blow left the weapon in her chest. He reportedly ran out onto the main road, where he was picked up by one of his sisters. Police intercepted the car in Williamsville shortly after midnight.

However, the suspect was missing. His sister told police she tried to persuade him to surrender but he became angry and jumped out of her car. Up to late yesterday, he remained at large as checks at the homes of family members were unsuccessful. His sister’s car remained impounded at the Gasparillo Police Station as forensic tests are yet to be completed. When the T&T Guardian visited yesterday, Sewlal’s two children were being counselled by social workers from the Police Victim and Witness Support Unit.