Senior Reporter
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
Relatives of Maureen Osborne are demanding justice after she was found dead on a burnt-out parcel of land in Manuel Congo, Arima.
Osborne’s body was discovered on April 3, several days after she was reported missing on March 25. Residents said they heard screams two days earlier along Church Street, Manuel Congo, near where the body was eventually found.
The 69-year-old, who was diagnosed with dementia five years ago, was last seen alive on March 25 at the Eastlake gated community along Ready Mix Road, Arima.
Her daughter, Seviena Nurse, has dismissed suggestions that Osborne may have started a bushfire in the area where her body was found.
“She wouldn’t light a fire and then lie down in a foetal position to shield her body. A foetal position is when you’re trying to comfort yourself. She was trying to bring comfort to herself in her last moments where people heard screams,” Nurse said.
Nurse, who broke down in tears during the interview, said there was a lack of empathy from authorities during the search effort, particularly after the discovery of her mother’s body. She also claimed that details about the condition in which Osborne was found were not immediately shared with the family.
“We had a long, agonising weekend from Friday night straight into Tuesday when my brother went to identify the body. We had to wait until Tuesday for information that could have been disclosed earlier. Day and night we were looking for my mother—everywhere we could think of,” she said.
Osborne’s granddaughter, Brianna Rose, remembered her grandmother as a warm and jovial person.
“She loved laughing and being around her grandchildren and family. She loved us and we loved her. For the most part, when we were around her, she was always fun and loving. She made friends easily and enjoyed her life with family and friends,” she said.
Both women said Osborne retained long-term memory and struggled to understand why she would have wandered into Manuel Congo, as she had no known connection to the area.
The family is awaiting an autopsy to be performed at the Forensic Sciences Centre on Monday. In its absence, they remain convinced her death involved foul play.
Rose said the family will continue to fight for justice for Osborne, insisting that despite what they describe as delays in the justice system, this case will be different.
