Body of missing woman, 71, found floating in Essequibo River  

Police investigators are probing the death of 71-year-old Philistine Franci called ‘PI’, a pensioner of Karrou Village, Essequibo River who is believed to have drowned.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, said the incident occurred between Wednesday, May 15 and Sunday, May 19, 2024. The woman was missing from her home and was last seen on  May 15.

On May 16, around 13:00 hrs, police received information of a body floating in the Essequibo River. As a result, a search party was formed comprising residents of Karrau Village and the police.

Three days later, on Sunday, May 19, the body was located in the vicinity of Hubakabra, Karrou Village, Essequibo River.

Upon examination, it was observed to be a female of Amerindian descent suspected to be Franci. The body was observed floating face down, clad in a burgundy skirt and a multicoloured top.

Due to the advanced state of decomposition, marks of violence could not be determined.

The scene was processed by the police and the body was taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital.

The body was later placed in storage and will be transported to Georgetown for a post-mortem examination.