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Oreon Gomez - In a heart-wrenching Facebook post filled with grief, love, faith, frustration and urgency, the mother of missing farmer and fitness enthusiast Oreon Gomez renewed her call for answers and justice on the second anniversary of his disappearance, on August 26.
Gomez, then 21, of Morne La Croix, Blanchisseuse, went missing after leaving home to meet a woman he had connected with online. Speaking to Newsday two weeks after his disappearance in 2023, his mother, Sharon Chapman, described the ordeal as a nightmare.
His family became concerned when he failed to return home that evening, and calls to his phone went unanswered. Gomez, who also worked as a tour guide, was expected to lead a hiking group on August 27, 2023. When he did not show up, his relatives reported him missing to the Arima Police Station.
Days later, scores of relatives, friends and supporters held a prayer service, pleading for his safe return. To date, he has not been seen, and there has been no public update on the case. Police also interviewed the woman he was reportedly meeting that day. In a brief interview with Newsday this year on August 28, Chapman described the past two years as an emotional rollercoaster.
“Some days are okay, others are a struggle,” she said.
In her Facebook post, Chapman reflected on the passage of time since her son disappeared.
“It has been two years, 24 months, 104 weeks, and 730 days since my only child, my mother’s first grandchild, my siblings’ first nephew, my nieces’ and nephew’s first cousin, and his father’s third child and second son went missing.”
She described the day he vanished as “unforgettable” and noted he would turn 24 on November 6.
“He had breakfast and left home around 7.30 am to go to Arima. Oreon had a hike the next day. Unknown to me, he was speaking to a young lady on social media, and they went on a date that same day,” the post read.
She said the woman told police they had visited a resort in Arima, but Chapman claimed, “Based on the footage at the establishment, they never arrived at the location.”
Chapman said no words could capture the ache of losing Gomez.
“He’s not forgotten. He’s not just a memory: he is my son. I miss you endlessly, and my love for you has never faded. I believe with all my heart you’re still out there, and someday, we will be together again.”
She said her faith continued to give her strength.
“You are deeply loved. You brought light and joy into the lives of your family.”
She also praised the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, led by Vallence Rambharat, for their continued support.
“I am forever grateful and pray you all continue the great work you’re doing for citizens. To the people who keep his name alive on social media, I appreciate and thank you. To the strangers who send comforting messages, you have a special place in my heart.”
However, she criticised the police’s response. “I got footage of my son opposite the Arima Magistrates’ Court that Saturday. He then walked to Sorzano Street, heading west, where there are numerous businesses with cameras.
“I went to some of these businesses to view the footage and was told the police would have to get it. These businesses are within walking distance of the Arima Police Station. I went back (to the businesses) only to learn police never collected the footage.”
Chapman then posed a series of questions to police.
“Is this what citizens have to accept? Is this how missing persons reports are dealt with? Is this now classified as a cold case?”
Mom: We’re stuck between hope, despair
She urged the public to be vigilant and to always share their whereabouts with someone they trust.
“To the families dealing with a missing loved one, this is a painful trauma and emotional distress I am now part of. There is no closure. We’re stuck between hope and despair.
“I stand with you in the belief every missing person deserves to be found, and every family deserves answers. Keep holding on to God.”
To the person or people responsible for her son’s disappearance, Chapman said, “Your silence is causing more harm than you realise.”
She said Gomez’s story deserved to be told and his life celebrated, vowing to keep his memory alive.
Her post ended with a Bible verse: Hebrews 13:5.
Responding to the post, Rambharat acknowledged the pain families endure in such tragedies and reaffirmed his team’s commitment to supporting search efforts.
He noted growing public sentiment that his group often seemed to be doing the work of law enforcement, as he described Gomez’s case as heartbreaking but not unique. In a telephone interview with Newsday, Rambharat said the case remained a concern and his team had continued to be involved.
He said they liaised directly with the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at the time.
“I know they were exploring certain leads, and they kept in contact with me regarding what they were doing. But I can’t disclose those details,” he said.
Responding to Chapman’s criticism that police failed to collect surveillance footage, Rambharat said his team was never asked to assist.
“At no point were we asked to retrieve footage from any area. If we had been, we would have gone.”
He said Chapman was not alone, as many families continued to wait for answers.
“There are so many people still missing out there. I don’t have the data on hand right now, but she, like many others, is holding out hope.”
Rambharat said his team had begun devoting more resources to older, unresolved cases.
“We’ve started forming a team specifically to deal with some of these cold cases and to assist families still searching for their loved ones. For such a small country, we have far too many missing persons.”
Asked about available resources, Rambharat admitted the group operated with limited means.
“We have very little. We’re self-funded and use our own money. We do get some assistance from corporate TT.”
Despite this, he said the group never asks families for anything and provides its services free of charge.
He said the ongoing demand for his team’s assistance highlights a gap in the national emergency response system.
Newsday contacted Snr Supt Sherma Maynard-Wilson of the police’s North Eastern Division for an update on the case and to respond to Chapman’s criticisms.
Maynard-Wilson declined to comment, saying she was not in office at the time and was en route to the police’s 70th anniversary service for women in policing. She also said she had not seen Chapman’s post.
English (US) ·