An autopsy conducted on the body of murdered nurse O’delle Lalman-Baptiste revealed she died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
Her brother, Miguel Lalman, told Guardian Media the autopsy was done yesterday, three days after her body was discovered about two kilometres away from where she was snatched by armed gunmen.
She was abducted after her husband, Mathias Baptiste, stopped to urinate at the side of the road at Carlsen Field, Chaguanas, around 11 pm on Friday. One of the kidnappers was later shot dead by police when they intercepted the getaway vehicle.
Lalman said they were in the process of arranging the funeral, which will take place at her parents’ home in Bonasse Village, Cedros.
On Easter Monday night, Lalman-Baptiste’s colleagues at the Point Fortin Hospital held a candlelight vigil to honour her memory on the hospital’s compound.
Clad in pink, the colour she loved, they held up their candles and sang Go Light Your World.
Speaking at the vigil, friend and colleague Ava Campbell, remembered Lalman-Baptiste as a devoted and compassionate nurse.
“O’delle was the personification of a nurse. No matter the situation, no matter how people treated her, she responded with kindness. She treated everyone with respect. I want people to know O’delle was loved. I felt it when I visited her home. I want to remember her for her smile,” Campbell said.
Co-worker Ashaki Renne struggled to speak. “I really love you. I miss you. I pray your family finds strength. I pray your friends, your batchmates—God will give us strength,” she sobbed.
Kerlene Joseph, who cared for Lalman-Baptiste’s three-year-old son, Delanie, said, “O’delle loved her son.”
Simon Alexis, her supervisor at the South West Regional Health Authority, comforted mourners as he read from the Bible saying even in grief, God will provide strength.
“We are never alone. Though the walls may appear to close in, the Lord is near. He waits for us to call upon Him. The pain is real, but we are not without hope,” he said.
Cousin, Tricia Samaroo, spoke on behalf of the family.
“Though our hearts are breaking, this gesture brings comfort. Everything that was said here tonight is what we have known of O’delle since she was a little girl. Thank you to the staff, the management, and everyone who made this possible. This is something we will carry in our hearts as we try to get through,” Samaroo said.
Incumbent Member of Parliament for Point Fortin, Kennedy Richards Jr, called for unity and justice.
“These are not easy circumstances. I met O’delle once or twice. She was the kind of person we want in healthcare. This gathering speaks to the life she lived. It’s a hard thing for any family to face. I hope we all continue to rally behind her loved ones. I pray justice is served,” he said.
As the candles flickered in the night, he urged everyone to remember her as someone who loved others.