Two young boys were found dead on Friday night lying in an old refrigerator in a Norton street yard.
The bodies of Jabez Robinson, aged seven and Jamal Codrington aged four were discovered by a relative after 9:30 pm on Friday.
The two were from families living at Lots 55 and 57 Norton street. The discovery followed a frantic search in the neighbourhood and in several city wards for the pair who had gone missing earlier in the afternoon.
Robinson was found lying on his stomach with his hands under his chest and legs bent. Codrington was found lying on his back next to him. The door of the fridge had been closed when the bodies were found. The refrigerator was lying flat in the back yard of 57 Norton street and was about five feet long by two feet wide.
Police from East La Penitence arrived almost an hour after the find and began examining the bodies.
During their examination abrasions were found on Robinson’s back including what appeared to be a bite mark close to his left shoulder. There were no visible marks on Codrington’s body but there was froth under his nose. There were some spots of blood in the fridge. The children appeared to have been dead for several hours and their clothing appeared wet.
Neighbours and relatives were heard speculating as to how the two had died with some suspecting foul play.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, Robinson’s father, Orden Robinson said that his son had gone to play with Codrington at his home two doors away.
He said an aunt had told him that his son had visited her home to purchase icicles at around 3:00 pm and this was the last time they recalled seeing him alive.
He said Codrington’s mother claimed that the children were in their yard and it was not until his elder son returned from school that they discovered that the boys were missing.
After several searches of the yard including a fowl pen and the same fridge which was found to be empty at that time, the hunt was extended to the immediate neigbourhood and surrounding streets and shops.
As night approached, relatives called the police as well as extending their search to other sections of the city including the street where Robinson’s father sold his wares.
It was not until later in the evening when the immediate surroundings were combed again that the gruesome discovery of the bodies in the old fridge was made. Police were immediately summoned to the scene. Robinson like Codrington’s relatives was of the view yesterday that the boys had been dead before being placed in the fridge.
Robinson told this newspaper yesterday that he did not agree with the theory that the boys could have inadvertently locked themselves in the fridge since their position when found did not show any sign of struggle.
“Me son naturally strong... he would have turn de fridge over,” Robinson said noting no sign of resistance.
Robinson said the theory that the boys could have been playing hide and seek and locked themselves in the fridge, was not credible since their feet appeared clean for persons who were running around without shoes. Further the fridge door, another person said, could be pushed up allowing some air inside even if a latch had caught.
Up to yesterday Codrington’s teenage brother, still in a state of shock, was adamant that a search of the fridge earlier on Friday afternoon had revealed nothing.
It was not until later following the second search of the fridge that the bodies of his little brother and Robinson had been discovered.