A teenaged girl who was receiving counselling after her father’s murder exactly one year and a day ago has gone missing.
Venita Chablal, 14, was last seen on March 23 and her mother, Nadine, fears the child’s inability to cope with her father’s murder, which remains unsolved, triggered her to run away from home.
Venita was last seen wearing a black jersey, blue jeans and a pair of red and white sneakers around Perseverance, Couva.
Up until two weeks ago, Venita lived with her mother and two sisters at Southern Main Road, Plaisance Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.
The child’s father, Vishnu Chablal, a tow truck driver, was gunned down outside his home last year, two days after thieves broke into his house and stole several items. There were never any arrests in that case.
In an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Venita’s mother said although she and Chablal separated when Venita was seven, Venita was closest to him of all her children.
“Even after we broke up he would always come to look for her and call her everyday. They were very close and when he was killed she kind of fell apart,” Nadine said.
“She was receiving counselling at the Couva Police station, but she was not responding much to it.”
She said Venita, a form two student of the Couva West Secondary, also began acting out since her father’s death.
“She was not opening up to me or to the counsellor and she was just giving a little trouble since her father died. She is a good child otherwise,” she said.
Nadine said Venita started getting into trouble because people took advantage of her vulnerability.
“People have a way of getting to young girls who are hurting. They took advantage of this situation and advised her to leave the house.”
She said none of Venita’s clothes or belongings were missing from her bedroom, as the child appeared to have taken nothing with her. She sent out an emotional plea for the return of her second child.
“All I want is for her to come home safely. I will get her more thorough counselling, anything for her to come back home. I am begging whoever has Venita, please bring her home.”
Anyone with information can contact the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, St Margaret’s Police Station or the nearest police station. —SR