KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – The chances of the decomposed body found in Welcome on Oct. 30 being that of Shanika Small may have risen dramatically after police found alive a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing since Sept. 19.
The National Broadcasting Corporation reported yesterday that Ikeisha Quammie was reunited with her sister after police found her in a rented car along with two young men around 8:30 Sunday night.
The cops, from the Narcotic Unit, were patrolling in the Hopewell area when Quammie was seen in the vehicle. She was taken to the Mesopotamia Police Station and has been reunited with her sister, Meisha Quammie, according to NBC Radio.
A source told I-Witness News that police are continuing investigation in the case, although the missing teenager has been found.
The fact that Quammie was also missing created some doubt about whether the significantly decomposed body found two weeks ago was in fact that of Small, 20, who went missing on Oct. 21.
Police are testing DNA sampled to verify the identify of the body, which was so decomposed that Small’s mother, Sheryl Small, could not tell if it her daughter’s.
There were also doubts about whether the body was that of Small because of its size and the extent of decomposition relative to the length of time Small was missing.
However, more recent reports say that the weather in the area where the body was found could hasten decomposition.
Further, the senior Small last week identified clothing on the body as that of her daughter.
Commissioner of Police Keith Miller, citing Small’s mother, said the missing woman was very particular about her clothing.
“The mother said Shanika will hardly want to know that someone is wearing a piece of clothes that she has,” the police chief said.
According to Miller, the mother purchased clothes for her daughter at a particular store in Canada, and they match the clothing found on the body.
“On that basis, she is confident that the clothing we showed her is that of Shanika,” Miller further stated.
Miller also confirmed reports that a post mortem examination found two fractures to the skull of the body.
He, however, emphasised that DNA testing will be done before the police make any conclusions.
“We think that this is not conclusive enough and because of that, samples were taken from the partly decomposed body, Shanika’s mother and a package of things relevant to the investigation to be sent off for testing,” Miller said.