A burnt, decomposing body found hanging from a tree in a teak forest off of Cumuto Trace North, Barrackpore, is believed to be that of prison officer Alexander Johnson who went missing on January 17.
However, with relatives also believing he died by suicide, the Prison Officers Association head does not believe enough is done to look after officers' mental health.
At the scene, relative Anastasha Thomas told Newsday the family, who lives nearby, was alerted about the body on Saturday evening by a group of hunters who stumbled upon it.
[caption id="attachment_1067537" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Anastasha Thomas -[/caption]
Johnson, 35, was attached to the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre (ECRC) in Santa Rosa for the last five years. He was last seen leaving his home on January 17 to perform errands before going to work wearing a brown t-shirt and black pants.
He was reported missing when he never showed up for work and calls to his phone went unanswered.
Thomas said the family went in search on Sunday morning and discovered the body.
While it was disfigured, she said relatives believed it was Johnson's.
Thomas said the clothes found at the scene resembled the ones he was last seen wearing and some of his distinguishing facial features were still recognisable.
She said they believed Johnson died by suicide.
[caption id="attachment_1067538" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Affian Charles-Johnson, centre, sitting, wife of missing prison officer Alexander Johnson, is consoled by Harley Hewmane of Sham's Hunters Search and Rescue Team at their Barrackpore home as her children, Isaiah, left, and Atiliyah, look on. Alexander's decomposing body was found in a teak forest off of Cumuto Road, Barrackpore, earlier Sunday. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
"He did complain about stress you know. Not everybody out here could handle stress. We would like to believe it's stress but we can't tell because a dead man tells no tales."
"He had (stress) home and on work because he complained about stress on work. Persons who he does work with said the work was getting real stressful and thing and then he had a lot of stress at home."
Commander of Sham's Hunters Search and Rescue Team Shamshudeen Ayube said they were assisting in search efforts since Johnson went missing in January.
[caption id="attachment_1067540" align="alignnone" width="576"] Shamshudeen Ayube -[/caption]
Ayube believes Johnson intentionally evaded their early efforts to find him.
Ayube said members spotted Johnson in January and he ran from them. He said they even conducted searches in the area where the body was found, which at the time, was covered in tall grass.
Ayube said there were signs of a recent bush fire which cleared the bush, revealing the body and, unfortunately, appeared to have scorched it.
Ayube lamented that, despite his team's efforts, they weren't able to recover him alive.
Head of the Prison Officers' Association Gerard Gordon extended condolences to Johnson's family. However, he said Johnson's w
