A laden mango tree stands tall in front a dilapidated galvanised shack perched on a hill along Mataigual Road, San Juan.A chained dog guards the makeshift door which is secured with a padlock. From a distance, in the noonday sun, three pairs of eyes can be seen peeping through a window made of BRC wire. Mataigual Road, off Bushe Street, is quiet, but as the Guardian team makes its way toward the shack, the women begin making sounds in excitement and the dog begins to bark. The T&T Guardian news team visited the shack on Wednesday after receiving several reports about the trio who were said to be locked up alone for the entire day without running water and electricity. One report said a mentally challenged child was often seen running around in her underwear and would sometimes enter residents’ homes. The visit created a stir in the area, as a handful of neighbours trickled to the bottom of the hill looking up. The trio remained staring through the wire fenced-window. They were unable to communicate verbally but giggled and waved. A stench emanated from inside the dark shack which had an outhouse leaning atop it. They looked unkempt. Residents, who did not want to be named, were thankful for the presence of the news team.One neighbour said the older women were twins named Gillian and Kathy-Ann and were “around 28 or 29.” The other female, 12-year old Shinelle was said to be an offspring of one of the women. He said the family had been living in the area for at least ten years. One resident described the situation as “terrible”, while another lifted her hands in the air and said: “Praise God. Somebody reach.” A woman, who spoke freely, said: “It is overbearing and I glad somebody going to put this in the papers. That 12-year old child does be in a panty whole day,” the woman said. According to another resident: “The little girl get stuck between pieces of galvanise last (week) Friday and police and ambulance and nurses come up.”However, officers at the San Juan Police Station were not aware of any reports. One officer said the computer system was down but advised that a report be made to the Community Police.One resident said they were accustomed to the “bawling noises,” but last week’s incident was serious.“I always hearing them bawling but last week the little one was in pain. She always getting out and runs all over the place. She doesn’t understand anything,” the resident added. Other residents said a close relative (name given), a vendor, usually left the trio locked up all day and returned late at night. “She would buy three Chubbys and take it for them every night,” one said. They claimed whenever they bought snacks for the trio, the relative would “cuss and get on.” One man said: “They could cuss good you know.” Asked if they were fed, he said: “I pass and see them eating.” He described the shack as “a vagrant den.”A woman said: “A whole month they wearing the same clothes. The people living across from them have to close their windows because of the smell.”People in the area were willing to assist but the girls’ relative was a problem, one elderly woman said. She added: “(name called) is ah wicked woman. She love Play Whe and the casino. She does come home all hour of the night and they locked up in there.”
