Trinidad: Man beats teen, assaults mother, then burns home to ground

Trinidad and Tobago: What began as a night of domestic violence in front of a teenage girl, ended with an entire home being reduced to ashes in Siparia, Trinidad on Saturday night. The incident also left a 29-year-old nursing burn injuries and homeless after her boyfriend set her home on fire. 

Reportedly, the dramatic event unfolded around 9:45 p.m. on August 9 at Gamble Street Extension when Salim James, eight month boyfriend of the 29-year-old bartender returned home and allegedly began beating her girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter and afterwards assaulted the 29-year-old mother. 

According to police reports, the 29-year-old along with her 14-year-old daughter fled outside trying to seek help, but James persisted to threaten that he would burn down their house and moments later fire was seen inside the home. 

The 29-year-old quickly re-entered her home in an attempt to extinguish the fire but all her attempts were invaluable due to the structure of the home. The victim narrowly escaped the fire while sustaining multiple burn injuries on her back and her shoulder. 

She received second-degree burn wounds after narrowly escaping through the nearby bushes by her home following which the 29-year-old mother and bartender sought treatment at the Siparia District Health Facility

The Siparia Fire Station officers were immediately contacted by neighbours, who promptly responded to the scene; however, the officers only managed to extinguish the fire after it had already swept through the entire house, leaving behind only ashes.

The Siparia CID, the South-West Division Task Force, and officers from the Siparia Police Station have launched a search for James and an investigation into the incident but the location of James still remains unknown. 

The police have asked for the assistance of citizens in locating the 29-year-old bartender's assaulting boyfriend.

The online community of Trinidad and Tobago have condemned the acts against the woman, warning against toxic relationships while many have speculated that it might be due to her line of work that’s why the boyfriend out of jealousy assaulted and burned down her home. 

One user said, “I could be wrong but I think the women working in a bar will attract plenty men yea maybe she is looking good so if any talk to her while she is working and maybe dropping her home like what he used to he think she is with the other man or men so he get jealous and decided to burn her home”