Autopsy shows cop’s mom died by hanging

News Rishard Khan Yesterday

Shelawaithie "Meera" Bedasse. -

Shelawaithie "Meera" Bedasse, 57, of Cedros died by hanging, an autopsy confirmed on September 30.

Asked by Newsday if the matter will be treated as a suicide, Assistant Commissioner of Police (South-Central) Michael Pierre told Newsday investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Bedasse was last seen around 8.30 am on September 23, when she told colleagues at her Point Fortin variety store workplace she was feeling unwell and was going back home to rest. She never made it home and calls to her phone went unanswered.

She was found dead at Clifton Hill beach the next morning with a rope around her neck, leading investigators to the initial belief that she died as a result of suicide.

Her son Russell Bedasse, a policeman, in an earlier interview, rejected this saying she was a family woman, had a strong support system, and never mentioned to anyone she was facing any challenges. He rejected the idea that she would also willingly go to Clifton Hill after having a traumatising near-death experience there prior, and a skin condition which is aggravated by ocean spray.

He believes she was murdered and the scene staged to give the appearance of a suicide.

Russell also slammed the police service for what he believed was their tardiness in beginning the search for his mother. Frustrated, he announced in a video that was posted to social media, that he had handed over his TTPS badge at the Cedros Police Station on September 26.

Responding to this video, the TTPS said it was distancing itself from comments made, saying that Bedasse was grieving and that it was "actively providing welfare assistance and psychological support to him and his family during this extremely difficult period."

Newsday was unable to reach Russell for comment on the autopsy results on Tuesday evening.