By RHONDOR DOWLAT Tuesday, May 27 2008

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The search for eight-year-old Hope Arismandez last night led Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) detectives to interview residents of Umesh Drive, Lime Head Road, Chaguanas, the neighbourhood from where Hope went missing three days ago.

AKS investigators returned to the neighbourhood, even as a 28-year-old relative of Hope remained in police custody in connection with her disappearance.

The man was taken into custody early Sunday morning, after Hope’s mother Sherma Rajoon, 48, reported to the Freeport police that she did not find Hope at home when she got in after work at about 11 pm on Saturday.

The man was interviewed by AKS and homicide detectives and remained in custody up until late yesterday evening. Investigators also took statements from Rajoon at the Freeport Police Station yesterday.

Sources said the mother reported to investigators that she was at her job at a supermarket when Hope called her at about 9 pm on Saturday on the relative’s cell phone. Hope told her mother that she had showered and had changed into a pink outfit and was waiting for her to return home from work. Rajoon told police that only the relative was home when she got there. Hope lives with her mother, her 14-year-old brother Kirk and the relative in an apartment complex. She is a Standard One student of the Carapichaima Roman Catholic School.

Rajoon told the police that she and close neighbours spoke to the relative about Hope’s whereabouts and he said he thought she was at the home of a neighbour Vijanti Cassie, who lives in a downstairs apartment with her 14-year-old daughter.

The police were called in and they interviewed Rajoon, the relative and other tenants of the apartment complex.

Police took the man to the station for questioning and he remained in custody yesterday, while a police search began for Hope. Police helicopters were used in yesterday’s exercise as a team of officers from the central and southern divisions searched areas between Freeport and Caroni Savannah Road, Chaguanas. Investigators went to the homes of neighbours, relatives and friends, and also searched a gas station, a bar and a quarry at Arena Road, Freeport.

Hope’s anxious family members and their close friends formed their own search parties and went in search of the little girl.

Sources said statements were also taken from a neighbour who Rajoon had left Hope with on Saturday, before she went to work. The neighbour said the relative, a truck driver, picked up Hope before going to their apartment.

When the neighbour last saw Hope she had on a pair of moss green tights and an orange T-shirt with the word Love printed on it.

Other neighbours reported to the police that they saw the relative drive out in his truck with Hope, at about 9.10 pm, and they said he turned out of the street onto Lime Head Road, which links to the Southern Main Road, on the eastern side, and Perseverance Road on the west.

Sources said the relative has told investigators two different stories. The relative initially told the police that he left the apartment to go to Medford Gas Station, off the Endeavour flyover, Chaguanas. He told investigators he bought $87 diesel fuel and then returned home.

When questioned further, the man then told the police he had changed his mind about getting the gas when he saw the long line of vehicles at the gas station. He said he drove his truck out of the gas station and headed onto the Caroni Savannah Road, where he stopped by a bar and drank two beers before returning home.

Yesterday, Rajoon’s neighbour Cassie said she did not see Hope on Saturday but she knew Hope was at home with the relative because one of her daughter’s friends had seen the little girl that day.

“I sent bhagi and roti upstairs for them because I know that Sherma was due home and that probably Hope was hungry,” Cassie said.

She said her daughter’s friend had carried the food for Hope and that was how she knew the girl was home with the relative.

“I also know that she left with him to full diesel in the truck but I don’t know whatever happened to her after that. Sherma knows for a fact that her daughter went with the relative because her pair of red going-out slippers was missing. Hope would always wear that when she is going out,” she added.

Cassie said Rajoon, who suffers from hypertension, fainted on Saturday night and has not been well since Hope disappeared.

“She is very sick and only crying for her daughter. It really hard for her, her brothers and sisters and even for my family,” Cassie said.

She described Hope as a very intelligent girl.

“She is like a small young lady. She speaks properly, dresses properly and conducts herself in a very lady-like manner. She is very intelligent, I would say very much highly intellectual. She loves to be in the company of my daughter. She loves to play dolly house and to wear my high heel shoes and walk all over the place. She is just a bundle of joy that everyone loves.”