Investigators are awaiting the services of a translator to determine whether the rescue of a screaming Spanish-speaking man was linked to the disappearance of a Penal family.
Up to late yesterday, police still had not located Aaron Sooknanan, 26, his Venezuelan-born wife Paola Sanchez Sooknanan, 26 and their children Ricardo, five and Isabella, three, who went missing from their Jhulai Trace, Penal Rock Road home.
According to a report, Aaron’s mother Zalaca Sooknanan went to the Penal Police Station around 7.30 am yesterday and reported that she received a phone call from her son’s neighbour, who said they had not seen him or his family for the morning and believed something was wrong after they heard screams at the house.
Sgt Gokool, Sgt Jaggernauth, PC Khalil and PC Deonarine, of the Penal CID, immediately went to the house and found no one home, but discovered the house was ransacked. The officers later heard that six men broke into the family’s house between 2 am and 3 am. The family’s Hyundai Tucson was also missing. Calls were made to Aaron and Paola’s phone but there were no responses. No ransom demands had been made up to last evening.
Around 3 am yesterday, residents of Jhulai Trade contacted the police after they saw a man screaming and running in the road. When officers arrived they noticed he was bleeding but because he spoke Spanish they could not determine what happened. He was taken to the Siparia District Health Facility and transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital. Following the report of the disappearance of the Sooknanan family, police believe the man might be a relative of Paola who may have escaped some ordeal that took place at the house. Crime Scene Investigators dusted for fingerprints, hoping to track possible suspects.
At her home yesterday, Zalaca said she was afraid her son, who is suffering from a virus, and his family would be hurt. However, she could not think of a reason why someone would have wanted to hurt the family. She said six weeks ago, Aaron was driving in Penal when gunmen stole his car. Recently, he was laid off from his job and would seek employment whenever there was an opportunity. His sister has been helping out the family financially whenever they were in need.
“I just got a call that some people came in the house and took them. They took the wife, my son and my two grandchildren. That is the message we got. We got the message this morning around 6.30 so that maybe happened around 2 o’clock or 3 o’clock,” Zalaca said.
Neighbours said around 2 am the family was forced into a car. Another said he heard a “Spanish fella” screaming in the roadway. They also said the family had a Venezuelan babysitter who stayed there and they were not too sure if she was taken.
Neighbour Mala Deen said she didn’t know much about Aaron’s life other than he did mechanical, masonry and electrical work.
“Whole night I cried because I am worried about the children. I can’t eat because I am worried about these children. I am fretting because I don’t know what the hell wrong with the children, Lord alone know where they are.”