Guyanese Mother Strangles Daughter Attempts Suicide

Richmond Hill, NY - A tragic child murder case in Guyana is drawing attention across New York’s large Guyanese diaspora after a 26-year-old mother was charged in the death of her seven-year-old daughter following what authorities say was a domestic dispute and mental health crisis.

Sarah Elizabeth Shivpersaud was remanded to prison this week after appearing before a magistrate in Berbice, Guyana, charged with the murder of her daughter, Isabella Dabidyal. Prosecutors allege the child was manually strangled inside the family’s home in Fyrish, Corentyne, on April 5. No plea was entered because the charge is indictable.

According to local reports summarized in court coverage, the incident followed severe emotional distress after Shivpersaud’s husband, Kirwayne Dabidyal, had reportedly left the home days earlier after a domestic dispute. Investigators say the accused contacted him on the morning of the incident and warned he would “regret it” if he did not return home quickly.

Authorities allege that shortly before the killing, Shivpersaud posted a photograph with her children on Facebook apologizing and asking for God’s forgiveness. Investigators further claim she later video called her husband and showed the children lying motionless, telling him he was “too late.”

Police say the woman also attempted to suffocate her 21-month-old son, Ethan, who survived and received medical treatment. Reports indicate she then attempted to harm herself by slitting her ankles before relatives arrived at the home. The children’s grandmother reportedly discovered the scene and rushed the victims for emergency care. Isabella was pronounced dead at Port Mourant Public Hospital.

A post-mortem examination conducted two days later determined the cause of death was manual strangulation. A psychiatric evaluation later found Shivpersaud fit to stand trial, though reports said she initially claimed she had no memory of the events.

The matter has been transferred to Albion Magistrate’s Court, where it is scheduled to continue on May 12. Bail was denied because of the seriousness of the charge.

The case has resonated deeply among Guyanese New Yorkers, particularly in Queens and Brooklyn, home to one of the largest Guyanese populations outside Guyana. Community leaders say the tragedy also highlights the need for stronger family support systems, domestic violence intervention, and mental health services both in Guyana and within diaspora communities.

While the legal process will determine criminal responsibility, the human toll is already clear: one child dead, another surviving trauma, and a family shattered in a case that has stunned communities on two continents.