Update: Welder arrested as police probe deadly Essequibo Coast fire

Police in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have launched an investigation into the deaths of 29-year-old Donette Albert and her three-year-old son, Keron Latchman, who perished in a fire at their home in David James Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, on Monday.

The woman’s reputed husband and the child’s father, a welder with whom she had been in a relationship for approximately four years, is in custody assisting with the investigation.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple previously lived at the home of the suspect’s parents in Charity Housing Scheme. Approximately two years ago, they relocated to David James Housing Scheme, where they lived together with their son.

According to the woman’s sister, she was at home when she received a telephone call from Donette, who asked her to rush to the house immediately. The sister said she hired a taxi and arrived at the residence approximately 15 minutes later, only to find the house engulfed in flames.

She reportedly saw the suspect standing alone on the access road. When she asked him what had happened, he allegedly told her that he and Donette had been arguing. He claimed that during the dispute, he went downstairs to brush his teeth and, while there, noticed that the house was on fire. The suspect reportedly said he attempted to re-enter the building to rescue Donette and their son, but the flames had already engulfed the entire house, preventing him from getting inside.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was contacted, but by the time the fire was extinguished, the mother and son had perished. Their charred remains were subsequently discovered on a bed.

In his account to investigators, the suspect reportedly said he returned home at approximately 4:30hrs on Monday after attending a birthday party. He claimed that he went to bed and awoke about two hours later to drink some water before returning to bed.

He further alleged that, at the time, Donette was doing household chores while their son was playing. According to the suspect, while he was lying on the bed, Donette struck him once on the left side of his head with a belna (rolling pin), causing an injury.

He claimed that he subsequently heard Donette telephoning his mother and sister and asking them to come to the house.

The suspect further alleged that Donette began cursing and threatened to burn down the house. He reportedly told her that he did not want to hear anything further before going downstairs to brush his teeth.

While downstairs, he claimed, he heard a loud explosion and noticed that the house was on fire. He said he ran upstairs and attempted to enter through a door on the north-eastern side of the building to rescue Donette and their son. However, he alleged that the interior was already engulfed in flames, preventing him from entering.

The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.