NEESA GOPAUL LAID TO REST, MOTHER AND STEP FATHER STILL IN CUSTODY



 Neesa Gopaul

 The body of 16 year old Neesa Lalita Gopaul was today laid to rest,even as Police continued the search for her head. The teen’s mother did not attend the funeral, because she was still in Police custody. Police moved to the High court to have an injunction to keep Small and Neesa’s mother Shereema Gopaul in custody however the wife of Barry Small, Marceline Basdeo-Small was released.


The funeral was attended by Neesa’s classmates from Queens College along with numerous friends and family. The coffin was not opened for viewing and the hearse only stopped in front of her Grandfather’s residence for a mere 5 minutes. Gopaul’s funeral was performed according to Muslim rites.

The family has stated that the Post Mortem on Neesa’s body was inconclusive. An Aunt, Sherry Hyatt related that they are going to have a DNA test done to confirm that the body buried is her niece’s.

Neesa’s headless body was found stuffed in a Black suitcase on Saturday afternoon at a defunct Hotel off the Soesdyke highway. Weights belonging to her stepfather Barry Small were recovered at the scene by the Police. The weights were used to sink the suitcase.

Neesa had made numerous allegations of sexual and drug abuse by Small to her friends, teachers and even her mother. She had alleged that Small drugged her with ecstasy and raped her numerous times. These allegations were reported to the child protection agency. The agency reported that when they attempted to make contact with the teenager, her mother and Small informed the officers that she wasn’t at home and they did not have a contact number for her. The agency also said that the headmistress of Queens College refused to allow the Officers to speak to Neesa at school, claiming it was against the school policy.