The Mystery of the Missing People of Antigua and Barbuda

The biggest part is mental torture, says Patricia Joseph. The “tingling” flashes to wonder what her mother’s last moments are. The endless state of the limbs.

Six years after her mother’s mysterious disappearance, Patricia is still grasping to watch the distinctive raincoat with an orange lining that the 74-year-old Hyacinth was wearing on the day he disappeared, hoping he could have an idea.

It is tragic that Hyacinth is just one of the ever -increasing number of people on the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua, which disappears without a trace in what some have called an epidemic, other crisis. At least nine have only disappeared in the last two years.

This day back in May 2019, it usually started enough. A hyacinth, described as humble and self -sufficient, had gone for a routine check at the Public Hospital, but failed to return. She has never been seen ever since.

He had to cause a painful series of fruitless, searching for the island and desperate calls for help.

“We became detectives. My sister and I partnered to look for leaders. I went back to the hospital, asking questions,” Patricia explains.

She was able to check that while her mother had completed planned blood tests, she did not show an electrocardiogram. More investigations have revealed that she has obviously briefly handed her bag to another patient to follow, but never returned. The bag was found by security staff the next day.

The family also managed to follow a motorist who said she had gave a hyacinth lift to a place a short distance from the hospital.

“The police are angry with us that he is investigating and told us to stop,” Patricia recalls. “Then they are annoyed with our constant questions, so in the end we had to back down and just pray.”

The anniversaries are particularly painful: March 6 would be Hyacinth’s 80th birthday, a cornerstone, for which the family has long planned a great celebration. Instead, Patricia took the day off to spend quiet thought.

The number of people who disappear in Antigua seems disproportionately high compared to the neighboring islands, says Patricia, a concept backed by sources in several of the islands that spoke to the BBC.

For example, in St. Kitts, which has a population of 48,000, official police statistics show that out of a total of 54 people reported to disappear in 2023 and 2024, all but two are reported. It is believed that the other two are Haitian migrants who have left the country ever since.

The small size of Antigua of only 108 square meters, the home of less than 100,000, makes the phenomenon particularly disturbing.

The speculation is full. Theories range from banal – lack of will to investigate insufficient resources and insufficiently paid police forces – to the sinister.

“Other islands find bodies after all,” Patricia says. “My mind goes everywhere, wondering what happened. People offer organ trafficking. I even thought about the gang. Is this something that is required to do as a dedication?”

The disappearance of a nine -year -old girl on March 12 sent the nation to break up and cause extensive searches. Chantil Crump’s body was found two days later in a case that caused widespread outrage from the public and protests – and sent rumors to Overdrive. A woman is accused of killing Shanttel.

The current police commissioner of Antigua Everton Jeffers admits that there is a “place to improve” when it comes to relations with the public of power, but rejects the idea that it is irrelevant.

He also says he holds an open mind about the cause of the large number of disappearance, including possible trade in organ working on the island.

“This is something we have heard and something we will look at. There is no evidence to support it, but it is very important not to reject anything,” he explains.

Patricia has found some comfort in connecting with the families of other missing people and now plans to set up a group of action to request international assistance.

“This is no more accident, it’s serious, there is a crisis,” she adds.

Aaron (not his real name) gathered a list of almost 60 people who disappeared into Antigua – more than one -third only in the last decade – and believes there are several more. Men represent approximately two of three of the disappearance, ranging from teens to people of the 70s.

“I personally experienced this pain. One of my family members disappeared and another was killed,” he says, speaking on condition of anonymity because of threats he says he has received to emphasize the problem.

“Families suffer. Many have gone to their graves without even seeing justice for their loved ones.

“Although some may have disappeared due to their participation in criminal activities, it is increasing that an organized organ collection ring can work behind the scenes,” Aaron adds.

Police say he is collecting official data on missing people covering the last two decades, but has not provided any numbers until the time of publication.

They have already seen two more this year.

At the end of January, the Order David did not return home after night at a local casino. The Order’s burned car has since been restored, but there are few other clues.

Alin Henry remembers the Order as his “best friend of 23 years”.

“The one of the biggest part is not to know if he is held against his will,” Alin says.

“Does anyone abuse him, torture him? Every day my thoughts are stirring. If, God forbid, this is the youngest scenario, we need closure,” she adds.

39 -year order is well known in Antigua as a key dispute in Case Case 2022 that annul the legislation, criminalizing same -sex actionsS

“I cannot explain how much it hurts that instead of focusing on the fact that he is missing, some people focus on him to be gay.

“I believe the case may have turned it into a goal,” Alin says sadly.

With the self -esteem of the bush and the ocean everywhere, the weighting ease of concealment of the body in Antigua can partly explain the absence of answers that many families suffer.

“It is clear that the local police cannot resolve these disappears. They have to bring outside help. How many more people should disappear before they do something. Who is next?” Alline adds.

Kon Richards, 38, who works for the National School Eating Program, last he saw to leave work on February 26th. His mother, Diane Clark, says he “tries to stay positive”, adding, “You hear that people disappear into the news and then she sneaks on you.”

With the exception of a 43-year-old woman, everyone who disappears without a trace in the last two years are men between the ages of 18 and 76.

The detecting investigations are the lack of a local forensic laboratory, which means that decisive DNA samples should be sent abroad for analysis, which is equal to prolonged waiting for results.

Forensic Services Director Michael Murel tells the BBC that a new laboratory capable of analyzing evidence of traces such as hair, blood and semen will start working within months, but admits that DNA capabilities are somehow due to scarce finances.

Updated technology cannot come soon enough for some.

Gregory Bailey Kevorn’s son, 26 years old, has not been seen since he received a phone call from an unknown man whom he obviously left home to meet in August 2022.

Gregory says the telecommunications company claims that she has given the call to the police for a long time, but “so far, the police cannot tell me who is.”

His powerlessness and despair are obvious.

“It is as if part of me is missing. Some people talk about closing, but I couldn’t handle it in an ark; I prefer to present him alive,” he says.

“It’s emotionally aggravating to pursue the police. If I don’t call them, I hear nothing; if I do, I get sweets,” he adds. “I want the government to know that people are grieving; I don’t know if they appreciate this.

“I put missing posters everywhere, but I couldn’t get home around my home; I couldn’t stand it. This is the most painful experience in my life.”

Gregory believes that the large number of disappears is largely due to the extent to which the criminal factions diverge with the murder.

Aaron has also collected a list of more than 100 unauthorized killings.

“People do not trust the police; corruption is growing in the law enforcement agencies,” Gregory says.

Aaron agrees: “There have been cases where the perpetrators have avenged the victims’ families when reports.”

Police chief Jeffers says “no police power in the world is perfect.” But he adds: “I can guarantee that 90% of our employees are good.”

He also acknowledges that limited finances are hindering investigations.

“There are no police forces in the Caribbean who will have enough resources to do everything we need to do.

“We do a lot to look for people, to receive public and matter leaders, and promised a number of new measures, including the creation of a particular working group for missing persons and the acquisition of dogs trained to detect bodies.

But this may not be enough to reassure those who are desperately awaiting answers.

“It’s time to take serious action,” Patricia insists. “I hope this does not happen to someone who is close to them before looking at a fresh look at these disappearance.”