A High Court Judge has granted an injunction stopping the funeral of an 88-year-old San Juan woman to allow for an autopsy to determine whether she starved to death.
Justice Frank Seepersad granted the injunction to the woman’s daughter Neffritte Bocas-Larkin yesterday afternoon, shortly before the funeral was due to take place at 3 pm.
In 2020, Bocas-Larkin, who resides in the US, sued her sister Elisha Bocas over allegedly denying her access to their mother Toolin, and their family home at El Socorro Road, San Juan.
Bocas-Larkin claimed that before their father Ahmid Bocas passed away he executed a will in which he left the property to his wife and his four children. She claimed that after her father’s funeral, her sister took custody of their elderly mother and the house.
In 2021, High Court Judge Joan Charles granted an injunction granting Bocas-Larkin access to her mother and the property on her periodic trips to Trinidad.
In the court filings, Bocas-Larkin claimed she was forced to again seek judicial intervention as her sister allegedly sought to take full control of the property after their mother died earlier this month.
Describing the alleged behaviour of Bocas-Larkin’s sister as unconscionable, her lawyers claimed that between 2007 and 2012 their client spent US$10,000 on renovating the house and improving its market value.
Through her substantive case, Bocas-Larkin is seeking a declaration that she has a beneficial interest in the property and another granting her equal access. She is also seeking compensation from her sister.
Under the terms of the injunction, Justice Seepersad ordered Bocas-Larkin to pay the costs associated with the private autopsy and the funeral including storing of her mother’s body until the autopsy is completed on Monday.
The case is scheduled to come up for hearing before Justice Seepersad on Monday.
Bocas-Larkin was represented by James Philbert.
