Moments after telling relatives he believed he was having a heart attack, 57-year-old Deonarine Samaroo retreated to an upstairs bedroom of his Penal home. A short time later, he was found motionless, setting off a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Samaroo, of Pattiram Trace, Penal, was discovered on Wednesday morning following a reported altercation with a relative at the family home.
Police said officers attached to the Penal Police Station were contacted around 8.45 am after a report of a motionless man at the address.
Investigators’ inquiries revealed that Samaroo and a male relative became involved in a verbal argument in front of other family members. The dispute escalated into a scuffle during which both men fell to the ground. The relative later told officers that the confrontation led to both men falling. He subsequently left the scene and made a report at the Penal Police Station.
Officers informed the relative of an investigation, cautioned him and advised him of his constitutional rights. He was taken to the Siparia District Health Facility for medical attention. A medical report recorded abrasions to his left arm and both knees, injuries described as consistent with a fall and blunt force impact.
After the altercation, Samaroo reportedly went upstairs and complained of chest pains, telling relatives he believed he was having a heart attack. He was later found motionless in his room.
The District Medical Officer viewed the body and pronounced his death. The officer observed small abrasions to the mid-back area and ordered the removal of the body to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for a post-mortem examination.
Crime Scene Investigators processed the scene and recovered a piece of wood as evidence.
When Guardian Media visited the family’s Pattiram Trace home yesterday, relatives declined to comment on the incident. Family members later went to the Forensic Science Centre to formally identify Samaroo’s body as investigations continue.
