Police say a person of interest was taken into custody and later released as investigations continue into the death of 28-year-old Tenisha Yarde following an incident in Rodney Bay earlier this month.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Elvis Thomas provided an update on the investigation during a police press conference on Wednesday.
Yarde, a mother of a young son, died on August 10, eight days after she was injured in an incident in Rodney Bay, Gros Islet.
According to police, Yarde was involved in an altercation with a man and another woman on August 2. During the incident, she fell into the road and was struck by an omnibus.
She was transported by ambulance to the Owen King EU Hospital, where she was initially reported to be in stable condition. She later succumbed to her injuries.
Thomas revealed Wednesday that a post-mortem examination had established the cause of Yarde’s death as severe lung injuries, fluid accumulation in the lungs and multiple fractures sustained when she was struck by a vehicle.
“…. The post-mortem revealed that she died from acute lung injury with severe pulmonary edema, as well as multiple fractures due to a vehicular-pedestrian collision,” he said.
Thomas also confirmed that investigators had taken a person of interest into custody as part of the probe.
“The individual was interviewed in the presence of his legal counsel and was released, pending investigation,” he said.
Police are now consulting with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the next steps in the case.
“We are continuing to dialogue with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in this matter, and so a file will be submitted soon so that we could get some guidance in terms of the way forward in this particular matter,” Thomas explained.
The Video should provide a clear indication of what transpired!
Question ? was she under the influence at the time ? this thing i am reading, she fell onto the road, to me there’s more to that, something doesn’t add up, someone surely did something, do the maths folks.
My condolences to the family and friends. Rest In Power and Paradise. We had a saying in the 70s when I lived in the USVI
You Win I lose, then we just walked away
I am very confused with what goes on in St. Lucia. If there is a video and the video is very clear and legitimate. It should provide an accurate account of what transpired. What’s up with person of interest ??????
It appears that the case is already decided by the police. There is a video circulating where the deceased is seen as having been pushed into the road right in front of an approaching vehicle. Now the Police statement indicates that she fell into the road.
Could this position be a result of the person of interest having a very good lawyer, in whose presence he or she was questioned. So why is the person of interest free already? So many guys are in prison for years on remand for petty crimes. And somebody of interest in a case when a woman has died, is roaming free? Is he or she on bail? Has their travel documents been seized?
Come on people. A child lost his mother, a mother lost her daughter, siblings lost their sister, relatives lost a cousin …. have we become so callous that human life means nothing now?
No halls of Justice as big or modern as you want to build it, can repair the BROKEN Justice system in St lucia. We should focus on the systems and policies not just on a building. Just like we have a nice modern OKEU hospital and the service and operation in that place lite years behind Victoria Hospital.
Come on our leaders. Lead with compassion. Nothing working well in this country? And stop bragging about giving every Form one secondary school child $500, and paying CXC for all 5th formers. That’s a lazy cop out to replace doing the real work and ensuring that those who REALLY need the support get it. One cap doesn’t fit all. St Lucia does not have the resources to pay $500 for every child, some of whose parents may be making over $5000 monthly.
And believe me there are a lot of them. Our tax money should be better dispensed.
My Government please beef up the Social services and equip the dedicated Social workers with resources to reach the vulnerable persons who REALLY need the help. And Im not talking about SSDF Funding, I am not going there. Too many smoke screens and glass mirrors.
Is St Lucia on a pause? Well if so, we need a reset. But what’s really happening here at all?
What about St Judes hospital which was commissioned last November, almost a year ago. Has a single patient been admitted there yet? Lucians watch your bread.
@Jane Doe – I could not have said this any better. WIth all due respect you are spot on, on target and correct with all that you have posted.
Just a short side note – I am not certain how some of these folk sleep at night. However, KARMA knows every one’s address – par dee poor jab when KARMA presents at your doorstep. For surely you will reap as you have sowed and by the way no one is exempt.