Trinidad and Tobago Police Discover 56 Bodies, Mostly Children, at Cemetery

Trinidad and Tobago police discovered 56 bodies at a cemetery in Cumuto on Saturday, including 50 infants, four adult males, and two adult females, with morgue-style identification tags and post-mortem examination signs on some remains. Authorities suspect unlawful disposal of unclaimed corpses and have deployed homicide experts for forensic analysis, with Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro vowing full accountability for any violations of cadaver handling protocols. The discovery occurs amid a state of emergency extended through March 2025 to combat gang violence, during which 373 people have been detained. Trinidad and Tobago's homicide rate reached a record 45.7 per 100,000 people in 2024 before declining to approximately 27 per 100,000 in 2025.

Discovery of 56 bodies at Cumuto cemetery

• ▪The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service discovered 56 bodies at a cemetery in Cumuto on Saturday
• ▪At least one adult woman and one adult male among the bodies discovered at the Cumuto cemetery showed signs of having undergone a post-mortem examination
• ▪Cumuto is located approximately 40 kilometers from Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago
• ▪All the adult bodies discovered at the Cumuto cemetery had identification tags similar to what is often used at morgues
• ▪The 56 bodies discovered at the Cumuto cemetery included 50 infants, four adult males, and two adult females

Police investigation and suspected unlawful disposal

• ▪Cumuto police secured the cemetery scene and began a forensic examination after the remains were discovered
• ▪Forensic analysis is underway to determine the origin of the remains discovered at the Cumuto cemetery and any associated breaches of law or procedure
• ▪The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service suspects the Cumuto cemetery discovery may be a case involving the unlawful disposal of unclaimed corpses
• ▪Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro stated that any individual or institution found to have violated the duty to handle cadavers with dignity and lawful care will be held fully accountable

Trinidad and Tobago's ongoing crime crisis and state of emergency

• ▪373 people had been detained under Trinidad and Tobago's emergency proclamation as of March
• ▪Trinidad and Tobago had approximately 20 homicides per 100,000 people in 2020
• ▪Trinidad and Tobago's homicide rate rose to 45.7 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024, a record high
• ▪The initial duration of Trinidad and Tobago's December 2024 state of emergency was only 15 days
• ▪Trinidad and Tobago's homicide rate declined to approximately 27 per 100,000 people in 2025
• ▪Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency in December 2024 to combat gang violence
• ▪Trinidad and Tobago's House of Representatives voted in March to extend the state of emergency by an additional three months

Perspective of Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

• ▪The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is treating the Cumuto cemetery discovery as a potential case of institutional negligence in corpse handling
• ▪The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service deployed specialized homicide units to investigate whether criminal violations occurred in the disposal of the 56 bodies

Perspective of Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro

• ▪Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro frames the Cumuto discovery as a violation of the duty to handle human remains with dignity and lawful care
• ▪Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has committed to holding any individual or institution accountable for violating cadaver handling protocols in the Cumuto case