19-Year-Old Student Found Dead In Barataria Home After Battling Examination-Related Anxiety

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The Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services (MPSDFS) said it has noted with concern, the recent media reports relating to a teenager who tragically lost his life due to examination-related anxiety. The deceased has been identified as 19-year-old Kevin Siberan of Seventh Avenue, Malick, Barataria. He was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive at his home with an electrical cord around his neck, on the evening of Thursday 16th April, 2026, in what Police are treating as a suspected suicide.

In a Media Release today (Thursday 23rd April, 2026), the Ministry said it “extends its deepest condolences to the family and is taking the opportunity to remind parents and children of mechanisms in place to support the mental well-being of students through its Child Affairs Division (CAD).”

The student’s 51-year-old mother told Police that around 6:30 PM on 16th April, 2026, she returned home from work and went upstairs, where she found her son seated on the floor, motionless, in a manner that suggested he had taken his life.

Police were told that the deceased had previously been hospitalized following an incident during preparations for the May 2024 CSEC examinations, which had prevented him from sitting those exams.

Further information indicated that in 2025 he was assessed and deemed medically unfit to write the examinations. He was subsequently examined by psychiatrist Dr. Varma Deyalsingh and diagnosed with exam-related anxiety. He had been registered to sit the 2026 CSEC examinations as a private candidate.

The Ministry said in its Media Release that it “remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the most vulnerable and is encouraging students to adopt healthy strategies for managing examination-related stress. In support of this, and in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry launched the Mindful Me Journal, a resource designed to help students navigate school pressures and cope with test-related anxiety.”

The Ministry said it also “hosts online workshops for parents and guardians on the use of the Mindful Me Journal, equipping them with practical tools to help children thrive academically; build emotional resilience; manage exam-related stress through simple, proven strategies; as well as recognize signs of anxiety and know when to intervene.”

According to the Ministry, “These initiatives underscore the Government’s firm position that the mental and emotional well-being of our children must be protected, nurtured, and prioritized. The Mindful Me Journal, which is a targeted intervention to address exam-related anxiety, serves as a practical, age-appropriate tool to help children better understand their emotions, manage stress, and build resilience, particularly during exam periods. It also reinforces a critical message: a child's value is not defined by a single exam or grade.”

Parents are encouraged to visit the Ministry’s website at www.social.gov.tt or its social media sites to download the Mindful Me Journal at bit.ly/mymindfulme.

If you or someone you know is experiencing exam anxiety or suicidal thoughts, please contact the following:

  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800-SAVE (800-7283).
  • Childline - 800-4321.
  • Children’s Authority - 800-2014.

Investigations are continuing into the tragic incident.

More on this as it becomes available. 

[Source: Trinidad Express]

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