Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
An autopsy is expected to be performed today on the body of 16-year-old Adin Baptiste, as relatives continue to struggle with the circumstances surrounding the Moruga crash that claimed his life.
Baptiste, a Form Three student of Moruga Secondary School, died after a Hyundai Matrix crashed into an electricity pole along Samuel Cooper Trace, Basse Terre, Moruga, in the early hours of Sunday.
His mother, Danna Mollineau, said the family has been devastated by both the loss and rumours that the vehicle involved had been stolen.
“The person who first said it was a stolen car later came forward and took back that statement,” she told Guardian Media. “People were condemning my son, and that hurt us deeply.”
The police report contained no information indicating that the Hyundai Matrix was stolen.
Mollineau said her son had been seated in the front left passenger seat when the crash occurred. She added that there were four people in the vehicle altogether—the driver, Baptiste and two other occupants.
However, the police report named only two people.
It stated that around 3.10 am on Sunday, a resident was awakened by a loud crashing sound and went outside to investigate. She found a beige Hyundai Matrix crashed into an electricity pole, causing a power outage.
The witness saw two male occupants trapped inside the vehicle. Baptiste, the front-seat passenger, was slumped over and unresponsive, while the driver was bleeding heavily from a head wound.
The 24-year-old driver, who is unemployed and from Basse Terre, Moruga, remains warded in hospital with head injuries. Police said he is in stable condition.
As news of Baptiste’s death spread, Moruga Secondary School paid tribute to the teenager in a Facebook post which read: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of one of our students, Adin Baptiste. Adin was a Form Three student at our school and will be remembered as a valued member of our school community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, classmates, and all who knew and loved him during this difficult time. We pray that God grants them strength, comfort, and peace as they grieve this tremendous loss. May Adin’s soul rest in eternal peace.”
As the investigation continues, Baptiste’s relatives are preparing for today’s autopsy while trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
