Pointe Blanche:--- The Police and Prosecutor's office were called to the Pointe Blanche Prison facilities early Tuesday morning when the body of Robert Leroy Reid was discovered hanging in the bathroom of the sickbay.Director of the Prison Facility Rudsell Ricardo said Robert Reid was showing signs of suicide since last week and he advised the nurse who informed him of the suspect's demeanor to call in the Mental Health Foundation. However, Ricardo could not say if anyone from the Mental Health Foundation visited the suspect after they were notified. "The nurse told me that Reid was suicidal on Friday and I instructed the nurse to call in the Mental Health Foundation. I can't tell you whether or not they visited him because that falls under the health section. Robert Leroy Reid developed a lot of trust in one of the nurses who was seeing him daily and he gave her indications that he would have taken his life," Ricardo said.
Ricardo said at 5:10 am on Tuesday morning one of the inmates who was also in the sick bay discovered Reid's body hanging in the bathroom when he went to urinate. Ricardo said Robert Reid tore a bed sheet into small pieces and made it into a rope which he used to hang himself. The suspect tied the makeshift rope on the fancy blocks inside the bathroom to hang himself.
Robert Reid was placed in the sick bay because he was being treated for the burns he received. SMN News understands that the suspect was placed in those cells because he was at high risk among the regular prison population. When asked if the investigations that were conducted completely ruled out foul play or crime, Ricardo said he could not comment on that since that investigation was conducted by the police.
The prison director further explained that at the time of the incident there were four prisoners in the sick bay. When asked by SMN News if controls are done at night Ricardo said that controls were conducted by the guards at 11pm, 1:00am, and at 3:00am and the body he said was found at 5:10am. When asked if the prison does not have cameras that would allow the guards to see when something is amidst, Ricardo responded in the negative.
Ricardo said police conducted an investigation when they were called to the scene.
Prosecutor Den Hartigh confirmed that an investigation was conducted into the death of Robert Leroy Reid and it showed that the suspect died of hanging, therefore, his office released the body to his relatives for burial.
Robert Reid was arrested on September 6th 2011 when police found the body of his 13 year old daughter in a ravine in South Reward. Reid was accused of killing his daughter whom he picked up from school that day. Prosecutor Bart den Hartigh said last week that Reid had opted to use his right to remain silent and as such the police were not able to get much information from him. "Reid gave the police one statement and he was advised by his lawyer to remain silent while maintaining his innocence." Den Hartigh also confirmed that police was not able to confront Reid with the cause of death of his daughter Tiffany Reid who died of suffocation before her body was burnt.
The murder investigation on Tiffany Reid remains open as the prosecutor's office is awaiting reports on the technical aspects of the investigation.
Robert Reid Left Suicide Note --- Wants to be buried next to his daughter.
Robert Reid, the father of Tiffany Reid who was accused of murdering his daughter left a suicide note that the police forensic department is busy analyzing. SMN News learnt that Robert Reid said that he wants to be buried next to his daughter Tiffany Reid.
Evelyn Jervis, mother of Tiffany Reid said the police called her to the Police Station on Tuesday to officially inform her of Reid's demise and to see if she was going to take over the body for burial. The grieving mother said police informed her that Reid left a suicide note and in that note he said he wanted to be buried beside his daughter who was murdered on September 6th 2011. Jervis said she already indicated to police that she was not in a financial position to bury another person and she assisted them in contacting his relatives in Jamaica. "I called his sister while at the Police Station and I told her that her brother hung himself and that I could not bury him since I just buried my daughter. His sister promised to get back to me, she said she had to contact other relatives," Jervis said.
The Landsrecherche has launched an investigation into the death of Robert Reid. Prosecutor Bart den Hartigh said while it is most likely that Reid took his own life, an investigation has to take place to determine exactly how the prisoner managed to take his own life while in custody.
