Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Searchers recover one from Demerara River
Quacy Miggins
The search party scour the Demerara River
The body of six-year-old Quacy Miggins, the only son for his father, Quacy Snr., and only child for his mother, Pearl St John, was yesterday retrieved from the Demerara River in the vicinity of the Bosai Bauxite plant wharf shortly after 13:00 hours.
Quacy Miggins died by drowning after a boat in which he was riding along with other family members capsized in front of the Watooka Complex, during a family fun day at the facility. The search for the three resumed as early as 4:00am yesterday, according to some reports.
The searchers had abandoned efforts Friday evening when darkness fell.
One of Miggins’s aunts who was reportedly sitting next to him when the boat capsized screamed hysterically when she saw her nephew’s body. His mother. Pearl, was too distraught to speak; she seemed in shock.
Meanwhile, at Quacy’s paternal grandmother’s residence, Enid Higgins, the place was unusually quiet and Mrs Miggins was unusually calm- almost serene. She spoke of her grandson, as only a loving grandmother could. She said that he was such a wonderful child, so happy, ‘he was like salt, he was into everything’.
She reminisced on the occasion of his recent birthday, when he told the family, ‘I don’t want a birthday party I want a gift!’ The elder Miggins said that her grandson got his wish and he was simply ecstatic
“He used to ride all over with that bike,” she recalled.
Miggings said that after she got the news of the tragedy she went straight to the Watooka complex, but had thought that Quacy had drowned in the pool, and actually started to look in the pool, but then she was told that the mishap had occurred in the river.
“I said to meself, but is what he being doing on the river?’’
Lawrence Hollingsworth, who travelled all the way from Lovely Lass village, West Coast Berbice, after he got the news that his daughter, Kishana, had drowned was another stoic character. No tears here; only sad reflections.
He said that his daughter had come to Linden to seek a job as a nurse, and she had already sent in her application. He said she was his second daughter and couldn’t swim. “I never even allowed them to go in the creeks and so on, I don’t know why she decided to go into that boat!’’
The man who also lost one of his sisters recently said that he had to be strong for his family.
Throughout the day, boats scoured the river for any sign of those that perished in the terrible tragedy that shocked the town and succeeded in aborting a very successful family Fun Day organised by the Watooka Complex.
The bodies of Kishana Hollinsworth and her cousin 12-year- old Melinda Duggan are still to surface.
Yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News had inadvertently identified Melinda Higgins as Tracy Higgins. Tracy Higgins is Melinda’s mother.
Meanwhile, the captain of the ill-fated vessel remains in police custody.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
A call for more cultural centres
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- Burnham’s decision to divert the Indian Immigration Fund towards constructing the National... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
