Autopsy shows Daniel Guerra drowned; hanging debate resumes in Parliament

An autopsy on the body of 8-year-old Daniel Guerra Tuesday revealed that the child died drowned. The post mortem was done by Dr. Eastlyn Mac Donald-Borris at the Forensic Sciences Centre.

Daniel was last seen alive last Friday. On Sunday police found his body in the Tarouba River.

Investigators say witnesses reported that someone in a silver Nissan Almera car picked up the little boy, who had gone to a neighbourhood parlour to buy soft drinks.

Police seized the rental vehicle on Monday and have been conducting tests on it looking for clues. And they are still trying to determine the identity of the person who picked up Daniel.

The puzzling question for them is how Daniel got to the river and what caused him to drown. Media reports suggest that police have questioned a relative who has since been released without charge.

Reports say a drug dealer had threatened the child's relative in connection with a case that had been dropped because of a hung jury. One report said a man had threatened the relative and warned him that "he and those close to him" would die if the charges were not dropped.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who visited Daniel's grieving family on Monday, pledged to go after the killer.

"For us as a government, we must leave no stone unturned to bring this monster to justice. Whoever is responsible for this, we must find that person and the full brunt of justice and the law will be applied."

Daniel's death comes as legislators get ready to return to Parliament Wednesday to debate a constitutional amendment to reinstate the death penalty for murder. However the bill in its present form is likely to fail since it requires opposition support to pass.

The opposition supports the death penalty and has said Daniel's killer or killers should hang. However it won't support the bill without amendments.

Leader of opposition business in the Senate, Pennelope Beckles-Robinson told reporters Tuesday the PNM's problem with the bill is the three categories for murder. The party's view is that the bill would create more legal gridlock and in effect prevent anyone from being hanged.

The government is willing to consider adjustments. However so far it has not made any changes.