PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Police are seeking to determine the motive regarding the murder of a freelance journalist who was shot and killed in the presence of her two children as she returned to her home in Rio Claro, the largest town in southeastern Trinidad on Thursday.

Police said that Kellyann Lemessy was ambushed and killed in her car and that her toddler and nine-year-old daughter, who were in the vehicle, were not injured.

Two masked gunmen attacked the 38-year-old Lemessy as she arrived at her rental apartment, and police believe her baby, who is almost two years old, was on her lap and that Lemessy shielded the child from the gunfire. Lemessy was shot in the head and body and died at the scene.

Lemessy, a mother of three, worked as a freelance correspondent with CNC3.

In June last year, Lemessy’s sister Cassieann was shot and killed in her car a short distance from her home in Mayaro. One person has been charged with her murder.

Last year, Lemessy and another sister were charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a brother, after they were accused of throwing boiling water on him. They were granted TT$200,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) bail.