The search for six-year-old Orlando Jaikarran ended in tragedy early Tuesday morning after his decomposing body was recovered from a canal at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice.
The child’s body was discovered at approximately 01:00 hrs in the Sea Dam Canal at Water Street, Block D, Bath Settlement, days after he was reported missing by his father, Bharrat Jaikarran, who has reportedly confessed to killing him.
Region Five Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Lonsdale Whithrite, confirmed to the News Room that Bharrat provided investigators with information that led them to the location where the child’s body was found.
Police reportedly recovered the body after the father led investigators to the canal where he had allegedly disposed of it. The body was subsequently removed and taken to Bailey’s Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
The tragic discovery comes days after Orlando’s grandmother, Dhankumarie Gowkarran, disclosed that Bharrat contacted her on the morning of October 14 to report that the child was missing.
According to the grandmother, she questioned her son about whether he had harmed Orlando, but he denied doing so and insisted that he loved and cared for his children.
Orlando and his two brothers, aged seven and 10, had been living with their father. Their parents separated approximately two years ago, and their mother provides financial support for the children through the court system.
The circumstances surrounding Orlando’s death, including the motive behind the alleged killing, remain unclear as police continue their investigation.
Bharrat remains in police custody as investigators await the results of a post-mortem examination, which is expected to assist in determining the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
