One day after the decomposing body of pensioner Doodhani Vishvati Sooknanan was found in bizarre circumstances in a townhouse she shared with her daughter and special-needs granddaughter in Chaguanas, her relatives yesterday waved away reporters from their doorstep before disappearing behind the curtains.
And while all remained quiet along Torenia Drive in Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, where the family lives, neighbours described the family as “strange.”
Although no one has been arrested in connection with the bizarre find on Thursday, Guardian Media was told that investigators are awaiting the autopsy results before deciding on the next course of action.
The body of Sooknanan 74, also called Mary Sooknanan, was found partially hidden under a bed, with her head facing in a westerly direction and feet in an easterly direction, clad in a top only.
The discovery came after officers of the Chaguanas CID carried out a welfare check at the residence around 1 pm on Thursday (January 8).
It was reported that upon arrival at the house, the officers met Sooknanan’s daughter Mira Vanderbilt, who claimed not to have seen her mother.
Officers later wrote in their report on the visit that “Mira Vanderbilt appeared to be in a disillusioned mental state.”
Requesting assistance following what they learned after speaking with Vanderbilt, officers of the Central Division Task Force Area North went to the home and breached the back door to get in – after they were allegedly refused entry via the front door, as it had been barricaded from the inside.
Officers said the condition of the first floor, which contained the kitchen, living room and a toilet and bath, was described as “decrepit.”
The second floor, which featured three bedrooms, was searched, where Sooknanan’s body was found in one of them. Her 19-year-old autistic granddaughter was also found in one of the bedrooms.
The District Medical Officer visited the scene and ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James, where an autopsy is expected to be conducted next week.
When Guardian Media visited the house yesterday, the teenage girl was seen peering out from behind gold curtains in the second-floor window, while her mother, whose face appeared to be covered in white, shiny make-up, smiled strangely and waved us away from the first-floor window.
Both women appeared to be dressed in white with yellow headwear.
Neighbours said there was a sign outside the house, which read, “Gods and Goddess Mira full legal owners of planet Earth.” However, they noted it was taken down between Thursday and yesterday.
Asked why the women had not been arrested, a police official explained, “Keeping a dead body is an offence and you can be charged. But in this situation, an autopsy is needed and based on this, only then will we know what charges can be laid, if any, going forward.
“Based on what the officers encountered, a mental assessment will also have to be done before any charges can be laid.”
Neighbours reported getting a foul stench
Neighbours yesterday recalled they had begun getting the stench of what they described as “worse than rotting chicken” approximately three weeks ago. Residents living close by said they knew something was amiss when they didn’t see Sooknanan. They said Sooknanan was usually seen walking to the dumpster at the end of the street, and days before Christmas, she fell one evening and hit her head after disposing of the garbage.
Neighbours said a relative assisted her back home after that incident and she had not been seen since.
A woman, who admitted the stench had been unbearable, said, “They don’t really talk to people around here.”
She claimed the family only left the house, where they had been living for the past 20 years, once weekly to make groceries.
The woman recalled, “Since Christmas, we were getting a funny scent coming through the air-conditioning but we didn’t take it on.”
She said they had opted to turn off their air-conditioning units to help keep the scent out but admitted that did not work.
Confirming Sooknanan’s relatives were known for getting into verbal spats with others and even made threats to some of them.
“Real mad people thing,” she insisted.
While they were concerned about the strange goings-on by the occupants of the house, the woman said she and her family cannot afford to leave, although she admitted to being uncomfortable.
Disturbing social media posts
Around 4 am yesterday, Mira V M Vanderbilt took to Facebook, where she posted what were described as some disturbing comments about her relative.
She posted, “With regards to One of the head terrorists on Planet Earth, devil mary sooknanan, devil mary sooknanan has died. As per 3I/Atlas’ warning, 3I/Atlas Crew stated that they will begin the destruction against evil on December 19th 2025. 5 Million years ago, devil mary sooknanan, devil saoirse ronan, devil kamla persad bissessar and some other reptilians killed Lord Dorian who stayed in Andromeda. The 3I/Atlas Crew is here to destroy all evil.”
And less than one hour before at 3 am, she wrote, “I am Goddess Mira V M Vanderbilt of Andromeda and Further Regions in Outer Space. I noticed an AI Overview of Myself online and have decided to allow it on My Blog.”
A previous post-dated December 23, 2025, read, “The Gods and I Goddess Mira V M Vanderbilt are the Full Legal Owners of Planet Earth. The Gods and I Goddess Mira V M Vanderbilt are able to travel anywhere in all the Universes and in other Dimensions as well. The video below shows Grand Bazaar, Valsayn, Trinidad in one of the other Dimensions. Some of you may recognise yourselves in that other Dimension. Three of the people commenting in the video about the City of Grand Bazaar are mafia criminals. The tourist who commented is good.”
