Assistant Supt Joanne Archie, the Police Service public relations officer, has said statements are being taken from witnesses about the deaths of the 28-year-old mother and her daughters struck down by a car driven by a police officer on February 24.Haydee Paul and her daughters–Ruthie, eight, and Shakira, seven–were killed on the Beetham Highway near Pioneer Drive, where they lived.
The three other victims of the accident were Amanda Lalla, Abigail Assing and Ryan Rampersad, also of Pioneer Drive.Lalla and Rampersad remains warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital in the High Dependency Unit.Residents held protests for several days and burnt debris on the highway after the accident.The police officer involved in the accident has since been suspended with pay.
In an interview on Monday, Archie said investigations were moving apace."Statements are being recorded and those investigations into fatal accidents usually take a while. There were many witnesses involved and they need to be recorded," she said.Archie said the investigations also included statements made by the Licensing Office and pathologists.
Lalla's daughter, Devika, said her mother is conscious. "Things haven't changed with her. My family is trying to keep up," she said.Rampersad's mother, Pearl, remained positive, hoping her son will regain consciousness.She added: "He is out of the ICU and is now in HDW (High Dependency Ward). He is moving his legs and hands and God will wake him up in due time. To God be the glory. The doctors said they could not help him any more. It is up to God."