THE celebration of the season came to an abrupt halt on Thursday for a Good Hope, East Coast Demerara family, after 13-year-old Anand Ramdeo drowned while on an outing at St. Cuthbert’s Mission Creek. Distraught sister, Annie Ramdeo, yesterday told the Guyana Chronicle that she and her parents are in deep mourning at the tragic loss of their loved one.
The 25-year-old added that on Thursday, she took a group of relatives, including her brother, her daughter, and five adults to an outing at St. Cuthbert’s Mission and had a pot of cook-up-rice on the fire when Anand told her that he was going to take a walk with her six-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old male cousin.
She told the Guyana Chronicle that after some time she heard screams for help and rushed to where the sounds were coming from and saw her daughter and relative in the water, while Anand was being swept away by a strong current.
Annie Ramdeo added that her relatives tried desperately to save her sibling, her daughter and cousin, while she drove a car out to the main highway to seek assistance.
She took several Amerindians to the location where they dived into the creek in search of Anand, while her daughter and cousin were on the bank.  Two hours later they pulled Anand’s lifeless body from the creek.
They took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, at about 19:30hrs.
She stated that her brother’s death is a serious blow to the family and they are finding it very difficult to cope with the tragedy.
Anand was a very intelligent, jovial person, who was into a lot of gadgets; he read a lot books, played cricket, and loved the outdoors.
Anand is survived by two siblings, his parents and scores of relatives, some of whom were at their Phase Two, Good Hope, East Coast Demerara home, comforting the grieving family members.
Anand Ramdeo will be laid to rest today after a funeral service at his home.
He was a Form 2 student at Queen’s College.