A distraught father yesterday described how he was called to identify the charred body of his daughter at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva on Monday afternoon.

Rakeshwar Prasad Singh, 54, of Vunivau, Labasa, could not hold back his tears while describing his daughter, Rayna Rikashni Prasad, 22, who was reported missing from their Namara Settlement, Nasinu home, last Saturday.

Her partially burnt body was found on Monday morning in Muanikau, Nasese, by a farmer who was going to his plantation at Muanikau Road. Mr Singh recalled how he identified his daughter by her toes and her hand. Her face was badly burned and beyond recognition.

Ms Prasad was a University of the South Pacific (USP) student pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in education.

She had completed her primary school from Swami Shraddhanand Memorial School and attended secondary school at DAV College in Nabua.

Rayna Rikashni Prasad.

Last memories:

Mr Singh said she was his angel and shared with the Fiji Sun how they had planned to go Christmas shopping on Friday.

They had also planned a family feast which was to be cooked by her.

While other families celebrated Christmas yesterday, Mr Singh was working out details of his daughter’s funeral which would be held after the post-mortem today.

“Rayna was taking summer classes at  USP, but she did not have any classes over the weekend so she stayed home on Saturday. I left home in the morning to drive taxi. My son, Rinay, had left in the morning for work as well.

“I had called Rayna on her phone during the day on Saturday, but it was switched off. I asked my son to call her as I begun to worry as it was not normal for her phone to be switched off. I came home around 2pm after driving and saw the main door of the house open. I looked for Rayna inside the house, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“I checked with my neighbours who told me that Rayna was at home in her home clothes sitting in the front porch before they saw her walk towards the main road. Our neighbour also informed me that she had heard a vehicle’s door close loudly, but could not see the vehicle.

“I called my son and asked him to come home because I was worried about Rayna’s whereabouts and safety. We decided to look for her and asked everyone we could think of. We decided to report it to the Police.

“While searching for her, Rayna’s friend told us that on Friday, she had called Rayna to speak with her but a man answered the phone and told her not to call on the number again. Since then her phone was switched off.”

Rayna’s mobile phone was discovered with her body at the scene.

“On Monday while driving the taxi, I received a call from the Totogo Police Station officer asking about the missing report that I had lodged. He asked to visit him and we did. I was happy thinking that she may have been found as those few days were very hard to go through without her.

“But, when I reached the station, I was told that a body had been found and they wanted me to see if it was my daughter. When the officer showed us Rayna’s body. Her face and legs below the knee were burnt. I clearly looked at her hands, toes and her body after which I realised it was my daughter,” Mr Singh said.

“She was the one who took care of me and my son. She was always friendly with everyone and was a happy girl. I had never thought that I would lose my daughter like this.”

Mr Singh requested the members of the public to come forward who are aware or may have heard anything that could lead to the incident of his daughter’s death.

The funeral arrangements will be made once the post-mortem is conducted this morning.Police investigations are continuing.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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