Police in Trinidad and Tobago say they discovered the remains of at least 50 infants and six adults at a cemetery in Cumuto on Saturday. Cumuto is about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the capital, Port of Spain, on the island of Trinidad.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) described the situation as one that “may be a case involving the unlawful disposal of unclaimed corpses.” Of the six adult bodies, four were male and two female. Officers reported that five of the adult corpses had toe tags similar to those used in morgues, and two—one male and one female—showed signs suggesting autopsies had been performed.
No identifications have been released. Police said forensic analysis is under way to determine where the remains came from and whether any laws or procedures were breached. Authorities have emphasized that the investigation will be conducted with “urgency, sensitivity and unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth.”
Allister Guevarro described the discovery as “deeply troubling,” adding that every cadaver must be treated with dignity and lawful care and that any individual or institution found to have violated that duty will be held accountable.
Trinidad and Tobago, an English-speaking Caribbean nation of roughly 1.5 million people made up of two islands off Venezuela’s coast, has experienced a rise in violent crime in recent years. The government, led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, last month extended a state of emergency that was first imposed in December 2024. The country recorded 623 murders in 2024, and the U.S. State Department ranked it among the world’s most dangerous in 2023 with a reported murder rate of 37 per 100,000.
Police say the investigation remains active and further updates will be provided as forensic work and inquiries continue.