The mystery of Antigua and Barbuda’s missing people

The worst half is the psychological torture, Patricia Joseph says. The “gut-wrenching” flashes of questioning what her mom’s final moments have been. The infinite state of limbo.

Six years after her mom’s mysterious disappearance, Patricia nonetheless catches herself searching for the distinctive orange-lined raincoat that Hyacinth Gage, 74, was carrying the day she vanished, within the hope it might maintain a clue.

Tragically, Hyacinth is only one of an ever-increasing variety of folks on the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua to vanish with out hint in what some have dubbed an epidemic, others a disaster. A minimum of 9 have vanished within the final two years alone.

That day again in Might 2019 began out ordinarily sufficient. Hyacinth, described as sprightly and self-sufficient, had gone for a routine check-up on the public hospital, however didn’t return. She has by no means been seen since.

It was to set off an excruciating collection of fruitless, island-wide searches and determined appeals for assist.

“We turned detectives. My sister and I teamed as much as search for leads. I went again to the hospital asking questions,” Patricia explains.

She was capable of confirm that whereas her mom had accomplished scheduled blood assessments, she had not proven up for an electrocardiogram. Additional investigations revealed she had apparently handed her purse briefly to a different affected person to regulate, however by no means returned. The bag was discovered by safety employees the subsequent day.

The household have been additionally capable of observe down a motorist who mentioned she had given Hyacinth a raise to a location a brief distance from the hospital.

“The police acquired offended at us for investigating and informed us to cease,” Patricia recollects. “Then they turned irritated at our fixed questions, so finally we needed to again off and simply pray.”

Anniversaries are significantly painful: 6 March would have been Hyacinth’s eightieth birthday, a milestone for which the household had lengthy deliberate a giant celebration. As an alternative, Patricia took the time without work work to spend in quiet reflection.

The variety of folks to fade in Antigua seems to be disproportionately excessive in contrast with neighbouring islands, Patricia says, a notion supported by sources in a number of of the islands who spoke to the BBC.

In St Kitts, for instance, which has a inhabitants of 48,000, official police stats supplied present that of the entire 54 folks reported lacking in 2023 and 2024, all however two are accounted for. The remaining two are believed to be Haitian migrants who’ve since left the nation.

Antigua’s small dimension of simply 108 sq miles, dwelling to fewer than 100,000 folks, makes the phenomenon significantly perplexing.

Hypothesis is rife. Theories vary from the banal – an absence of will to analyze by an under-resourced and under-paid police drive – to the sinister.

“Different islands discover our bodies finally,” Patricia says. “My thoughts goes in every single place questioning what occurred. Individuals recommend organ trafficking. I’ve even considered gang exercise. Is it one thing they’re required to do as an initiation?”

The disappearance of a nine-year-old lady on 12 March despatched the nation reeling and sparked in depth searches. Chantel Crump’s physique was discovered two days later in a case that has brought on widespread public outrage and protests – and despatched rumours into overdrive. A girl has been charged with Chantel’s homicide.

Antigua’s Appearing Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers acknowledges there’s “room for enchancment” on the subject of the drive’s public relations, however rejects the concept it’s uncaring.

He additionally says he’s holding an open thoughts on the rationale for the excessive variety of disappearances, together with a potential organ commerce working on the island.

“It is one thing we have been listening to and one thing we’ll look into. There isn’t any proof to assist it, however it’s crucial we do not dismiss something,” he explains.

Patricia has discovered some solace in connecting with households of different lacking folks and now plans to arrange an motion group to ask for worldwide assist.

“This is not a random factor any extra, that is severe, there is a disaster,” she provides.

Aaron (not his actual title) has collated an inventory of just about 60 folks lacking in Antigua – greater than a 3rd within the final decade alone – and believes there are a number of extra. Males account for roughly two in three of the disappearances, starting from youngsters to folks of their 70s.

“I’ve personally skilled this ache. Certainly one of my members of the family went lacking and one other was murdered,” he says, talking on situation of anonymity due to threats he says he has obtained for highlighting the problem.

“Households are struggling. Many have gone to their graves with out ever seeing justice for his or her family members.

“Whereas some could have disappeared on account of their involvement in legal actions, there’s rising concern that an organised organ harvesting ring could possibly be working behind the scenes,” Aaron provides.

Police say they’re collating official figures for lacking folks overlaying the final 20 years however by the point of publication had not supplied any figures.

This yr has already seen two extra.

In late January, Orden David didn’t return dwelling after an evening out at an area on line casino. Orden’s burnt-out automobile has since been recovered, however there have been few different clues.

Alline Henry recollects Orden as her “finest buddy of 23 years”.

“The worst half isn’t realizing if he is being held in opposition to his will,” Alline says.

“Is somebody abusing him, torturing him? Day by day my ideas run wild. If, God forbid, it is the worst case situation, we’d like closure,” she provides.

Orden, 39, is well-known in Antigua as a key litigant in a landmark 2022 case that overturned legislation criminalising same-sex acts.

“I am unable to clarify how a lot it hurts that as a substitute of focussing on the very fact he is lacking, some folks deal with him being homosexual.

“I imagine the case could have made him a goal,” Alline says sadly.

With swathes of bushland and ocean throughout, the ostensible ease of concealing a physique in Antigua could partly clarify the absence of solutions many households undergo.

“Clearly the native police cannot clear up these disappearances. They want to herald exterior assist. What number of extra folks must go lacking earlier than they do one thing. Who’s subsequent?” Alline provides.

Keon Richards, 38, who works for the nationwide faculty meals programme, was final seen leaving work on 26 February. His mom Dian Clarke says she is “making an attempt to remain constructive”, including: “You hear about folks going lacking within the information after which it creeps up on you.”

Except a 43-year-old lady, all these to fade with out hint within the final two years are males, aged between 18 and 76.

Hindering investigations is the dearth of an area forensic lab which implies essential DNA samples have to be despatched abroad for evaluation, equating to prolonged waits for outcomes.

Director of Forensic Companies Michael Murrell tells the BBC {that a} new lab able to analysing hint proof akin to hair, blood and semen will grow to be operational inside months, however admits DNA capabilities are a way off due to meagre funds.

Up to date know-how can not come quickly sufficient for some.

Gregory Bailey’s son Kevorn, 26, has not been seen since he obtained a cellphone name from an unknown one who he apparently left his dwelling to satisfy in August 2022.

Gregory says the telecoms agency claims to have given the caller’s title to police way back, however “to date the police cannot inform me who it was”.

His frustration and despair are evident.

“It is like part of me is lacking. Some folks speak about closure, however I could not deal with seeing him in a coffin; I want to image him alive,” he says.

“It is emotionally aggravating to pursue the police. If I do not name them I do not hear something; if I do, I get candy nothings,” he provides. “I need the federal government to know persons are grieving; I do not know in the event that they respect that.

“I put up lacking posters all over the place, however I could not put up any round my dwelling; I could not bear it. It is probably the most painful expertise of my life.”

Gregory believes the excessive variety of disappearances is essentially because of the extent with which legal factions get away with homicide.

Aaron has additionally collated an inventory of greater than 100 unsolved killings.

“Individuals do not belief the police; corruption is rampant in regulation enforcement,” Gregory says.

Aaron agrees: “There’ve been instances the place perpetrators have retaliated in opposition to the households of victims when reviews have been made.”

Police Chief Jeffers says “no police drive on this planet is ideal”. However provides: “I can assure 90% of our officers are good.”

He additionally admits restricted funds impede investigations.

“There isn’t any police drive within the Caribbean that has sufficient assets to do every little thing we’ve to do.

“We do quite a bit to search for folks, get leads from the general public and matter and pledged a raft of recent measures together with the institution of a delegated lacking individuals’ activity drive and the acquisition of canine skilled to detect our bodies.

However that is probably not sufficient to appease these desperately awaiting solutions.

“It is time to take severe motion,” Patricia urges. “I hope this does not occur to somebody near them earlier than they take a very good recent have a look at these disappearances.”