PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Police are investigating the gruesome discovery of three bodies including that of a five-year child that were found by fire fighters on Wednesday in Freeport, in Central Trinidad.

The authorities are working on the theory that a four-year-old child, who managed to escape death and later sought refuge at a neighbour’s house, may have seen his mother and other occupants killed and then set on fire in the house.

They said that the bodies of two adults and a child believed to be around five were discovered in the ruins of the shack and up to late Thursday evening, the whereabouts of 27-year-old Michelle Harrylal, and her common-law husband Michael Applewhite, 35, a vegetable vendor, were unknown and police believe their bodies were found in the burnt house.

Police said that the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

Earlier, residents said the four-year-old child, with his hands tied, was found wandering in the bushes near the house.

Fire fighters said that they had received a call late on Wednesday night and after putting out the blaze discovered the bodies.

“The exact identification and gender could not be determined because they were burnt beyond recognition,” said District Fire Officer David Joseph-Thomas.

In another matter, police are searching for two secondary school students after they were reportedly kidnapped and a TT$350,000 (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) ransom demanded.

They said that the kidnappers have also warned the relatives of Brandon Sam and Darryl Lutchman that if their demand is not met by this time they would harm their loved ones.

The authorities said that 14-year-old Sam, 14 and Lutchman, 16, as well as another relative,  relative Deokumar Lutchman, were kidnapped on Wednesday night.

“I am poor, unemployed and have no money to pay a ransom for the safe release of my child. I am in pain, I don’t know what to do for the release of my only child. I pray that God will change the heart of the kidnappers and they will set both my son and nephew free,” said Ria Lutchman, Brandon’s mother, who appeared on television.

Brandon’s father, Preston Sam, had travelled to St Kitts to view the Caribbean Professional League match between the St Kitts Patriots and Trinbago Knight Riders on Wednesday night.