RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
As they grappled to come to terms with the death of 18-year-old talented dancer Jedda Beharry, her distraught relatives said they would not speak until an autopsy is done on her body, which will confirm the cause of her untimely passing.
Beharry, a member of the Trinidad Multicultural Dance Company, had travelled to Panama to represent Trinidad and Tobago alongside her mother, Fazida Beharry.
For several years, she had flown the national flag through dance, winning competitions in Indian dance and representing the country at regional events.
Her passion for dance began at an early age. Beharry participated in Mastana Bahar as a five-year-old and had been preparing for another international opportunity, with plans to travel to Italy.
The School of International Travel and Languages (SITAL) student was also known for performing traditional Bollywood and classical dance, incorporating contemporary influences into her routines.
She had also been involved in teaching dance in Gasparillo, where she was well known within the community.
At the family’s Happy Hill, Gasparillo home yesterday, a sombre mood prevailed as relatives mourned the teenager. She was not ill, and her death had been unexpected.
Several relatives expressed hurt over comments being made about Beharry on social media but declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding her death.
They said they did not want to jeopardise the ongoing investigation and would await the results of the autopsy before making any public statements.
Police reported that Beharry was at her boyfriend’s residence at Ben Lomond Village, Gasparillo, on Friday night when she reportedly became ill.
According to police, she subsequently experienced difficulty breathing and complained of sudden chest pains.
Emergency assistance was sought and CPR was attempted before she was taken to San Fernando General Hospital.
She was pronounced dead at about 11.46 pm on Friday.
Police said officers visited the hospital and later went to the scene, where they interviewed several people and gathered information.
The scene was processed by Crime Scene Investigators, and police said enquiries are continuing.
An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow to determine the cause of Beharry’s death.
As the investigation continues, her relatives are asking for privacy while they await answers surrounding the death of the teenager whose life had been devoted to dance and representing Trinidad and Tobago.
