HOPE turned to sadness and anger in Techier Village, Point Fortin on Tuesday when two-year-old Kimani "Mani" Francis was found dead in a tributary of the Guapo River almost a mile away from his home. These feelings were reflected in the wider population as people reacted to news of the tragedy after praying that Kimani would be found alive and returned to his family.
The child walked out of his family's home at Tenth Street Extension, Techier Village around 10 am on Monday. He was barefoot, wearing a diaper and seen heading towards a forested area nearby.
The toddler lived with his mother Kimberly Charles, 22, and extended family, including his grandmother, great-grandmother and an aunt. His father, Emmanuel Francis, lives in Guapo, on the outskirts of Point Fortin.
[caption id="attachment_953841" align="alignnone" width="540"] Kimani Francis[/caption]
The police got a call from someone who saw the child alone in the road.
A massive search was launched on Monday shortly after Kimani went missing. Teams comprising villagers, police officers, soldiers, NGOs Search and Rescue Team and Hard Grounds, searched the area late into Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Point Fortin MP Kennedy Richards Jr and Point Fortin Mayor Saleema Thomas were also involved.
A base camp was established in the area, allowing search teams to venture out simultaneously to different parts of the nearby forests. Early on Tuesday morning, there was hope among search team members that the boy would be found. One man said, "I hope someone found the child and keeping him safe." A woman said, "I pray Jesus that Kimani comes home."
While search teams combed different parts of the forest along the dirt road where Kimani was last seen, word spread around 10 am that he had been found at a house in Tenth Street Extension. The news sent villagers, police and hunters to that location. The house and surrounding bushes were thoroughly searched. Some villagers called "Kimani," hoping the boy would reply, but he didn’t.
Body found
At 10.55 am, news that he had been found sent search teams back towards the dirt road where they had been earlier. At 11.05 am, it was confirmed that the boy's body had been found in a tributary of the Guapo River that ran through a nearby oilfield.
[caption id="attachment_953967" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Krystal Charles, left, grandmother of Kimani Francis, arrives at the scene with a relative. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
Sadness filled the air and was evident on the faces of the villagers, police officers, fire officers and hunters.
Kimani’s father arrived at 11.15 am and was taken by police to the location where his son's body was. Ten minutes later, other relatives, including Kimani's mother arrived. She wept bitterly. Police officers cordoned off the area, advising all non-security personnel to stay behind a barricade while the spot where Kimani was found was investigated.
The body was removed at around noon. Neit
