Teen dead, another critical after taking poison

In a scenario reminiscent of the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet, two teenagers were found poisoned on Thursday in what police have described as a planned double-suicide attempt. According to police reports, around 3.15 pm, the two, both 17, were found unconscious in a room at the boy’s Huggins Street, Tacarigua, home.

The boy’s grandmother said she heard a scream from his bedroom. When she checked she found the couple lying on the floor metres from each other. Both were frothing from the mouth and one of the boy’s wrists was slit. Both were students of a secondary school in east Trinidad and had attended school earlier on Thursday.

Police were contacted and the couple taken to hospital where the girl was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said an unlabelled bottle of a poisonous liquid was found near the couple and was taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for tests. An autopsy will be done on her body at the centre on Monday morning.

The girl’s boyfriend, who cannot be named because of his age, remained warded in a critical condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mt Hope up to late yesterday. He was being closely monitored by doctors and police. Police were unable to interview the teenager, who was said to be heavily sedated.

Investigators said  the teens did not leave a suicide note but are working on the theory that their suicide bid was prompted by their parents’ disapproval of their relationship. Supt Baldeo Nanan, Insp Wayne Lawrence and PC Naipaul of the Region Two Homicide Bureau are investigating.