“We were not rich with money, but with love and understanding”—wife of drowned pump attendant says

Mar 26, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News confirmed that the 25-year-old pump attendant who was found dead in a canal at Evergreen, Essequibo Coast, Region two, died from a fractured spine and drowning.

Navindra Rambarran, of Evergreen, Essequibo Coast, was found dead between March 19 and 20. Investigations revealed that at the time of the incident, Rambarran was riding his motorcycle on his way home. Hours later, he was found in a canal, and his motorbike was located near the canal with both mirrors were broken off.

On Tuesday, Kaieteur News spoke with Senior Superintendent Commander of Regional Division Two, Khemraj Shivbarran, who confirmed Rambarran’s cause of death.  “The main cause of death was drowning, he also had a fractured spine,” he stated.  When questioned about the motorcycle’s broken mirrors, Shivbarran explained that it was reported to the police that, while Rambarran was going home, his motorcycle had encountered issues. He lost control, veered off the road, and was flung into the canal, and subsequently drowned. However, he stated that there is no sign of an accident or any physical object supporting that claim.

Police reports indicate that Rambarran died between 20:14 hrs. on Wednesday and 17:30 hrs. on Thursday. His wife, 25-year-old Sarah Campbell, told police that around 15:00 hrs. on Wednesday, Rambarran left home on his motorcycle, but he did not return by 20:00 hrs. “She made several calls to his cell phone, and he assured her he was on his way home. However, he did not return,” police said. At around 05:45 hrs. on Thursday, Campbell received the devastating news that her husband’s body had been found floating in the canal.

Rambarran’s brother, Gavindra Rambarran, filed a report at the Charity Police Station. The body was retrieved from the canal and taken to Charity Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Upon examination, the authorities found bruises on his forehead and fish bites on his face and right ear.

In an interview with Kaieteur News on Tuesday, Campbell reflected on the last conversation she had with her husband before his tragic death. She recalled how they lived a considerable distance from the main road, which led her husband to purchase a motorcycle to help him take her home after work. She recalled, “Wednesday, I was out and after I finish buying the meat, I called him and tell him I am in a bus heading home. When I meet at the dam head, I called him and tell him I just meet. He said okay, he coming to drop me home. So, he come with the motorcycle and he drop us home (me and our son). When we meet home, he said he coming back just now. I said, ‘Babe, na guh noway.’ He kiss me again and he said, ‘Babe, a coming back just now, me na stay long. A going with them boys and come back.’ He said cook the goat curry and make roti for dinner, which I did.”

Campbell waited for him to return so they could share the meal, but hours passed without any word. “I waited for him to come home for us to eat together. He tell me to wait on him, we gonna eat together. We always eat together. He messaged me at 8:14 pm and said, ‘Babe, what you doing?’ I replied, ‘I’m waiting on you to eat.’ I waited and 9:25 pm I messaged him again but the message didn’t gone through. Was only one star. So, I said to myself, he gonna come just now, so I lay down in my bed and was watching a movie and I sleep away ,” she said.

“When I wake up, I check the time and see it was 12:45 am, and then I message him and I see it still have one star, so, I called his phone right away and it gone to voicemail. So, I called his next phone- it went to voicemail. I said, his phone battery mussy down, and then I ask myself, all 2 at the same time? I said, even if his phones dead, he would’ve call.  I didn’t give up on calling him. I called and didn’t get to him. I tell myself, his phone mussy down– because sometimes they don’t get signals too- so, I still waited on him to eat, only to find out he’s dead. When I got the news, I couldn’t believe my ears, I had to go and see for myself. He was indeed coming home but he did not meet. His motorcycle was on the dam, damaged, and he was in the trench. I still didn’t believe it. I waited for him, just to realise that he would never come home again to eat with me. It hurts me so much to believe he would never come back. He always tell me not to give up and don’t worry about anything, we gonna get through it,” Campbell said in tears.

This tragic loss has been especially hard for Campbell, as she had recently lost her mother just three months prior. “It’s only three months since mommy leave me, and now he leave me too. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this. Every time I go and eat, I’m remembering he tell me to wait for him to eat. What aches my heart more is when my kid asking, ‘When daddy coming home?’, only for me to tell him, ‘Daddy won’t be coming home anymore.’ I don’t know how I’ll manage without him,” Campbell said.

Reflecting on her husband’s life, Campbell described Rambarran as a loving and understanding partner. “He wasn’t perfect, but in my eyes, he was. Anyone who knew us could see how much he meant to me. We were not rich—not with money, but with the love and understanding we shared. The time we spent together may have been short, but the memories will last a lifetime. My mom’s passing hurt, but losing him has pierced my heart even more. My mom was close, but he was closer,” she said.

(“We were not rich with money, but with love and understanding”—wife of drowned pump attendant says)

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