WPC who comforted Andrea’s dad: I made up my mind to help him up

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The woman police constable who was seen holding the hand of Andrea Bharatt’s grieving father, Randolph, said it was heartbreaking for her to break the news that a body had been found in Aripo and that he was needed to visit the scene to identify whether it was his only child.

WPC Katina Williams, of the Arima Criminal Investigations Department, recalled that dreaded moment.

“I made up my mind to help him up, to prepare myself physically, to hold him up and to hug him because at the end of the day we are all human beings despite my professional role. It was a reflex action as I, myself, is a mother of two,” she said.

Williams said Bharatt’s case is one of the many cases that she will remember for the rest of her life.

An officer with 11 years of service, Williams said Bharatt’s case made her think about her children and family.

“It made me want to go immediately to have a lecture with my children and tell them to be careful in terms of personal safety and awareness. This is concerning as you don’t know who to trust as it pertains to my children’s safety and family members safety as a whole.”

“It was one of those cases that will stick with me as a police officer because people are not aware of the many grievous cases that we face—babies lifeless, mothers crying—we deal with a whole set of serious cases that sticks with you. This child was so innocent and to see people without seemingly a conscience would do such vile things to her it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.

Williams said she intends to keep in touch with Andrea’s father.

“I will tell him sorry for his loss, to be strong. I will encourage him to reach out to people and for him to be that one to bring awareness to women’s safety and the challenges that women face currently. I think not enough is being placed on men taking responsibility for what they are doing and I believe that he can bring awareness to that,” she said.