Jersey City Boys Discover Dead Bodies Of Mother, Grandmother, Aunt
(Jersey City-WABC, July 30, 2002) — Two young Jersey City boys made a gruesome discovery Tuesday morning, waking up to find their mother, grandmother and aunt murdered in their home. New Jersey Reporter Jeff Rossen has the story.
Sources close to the investigation told Eyewitness News Tuesday that it was a family member who went on a rampage, stabbing the three women to death. He was apparently angry over religion, and how the family was practicing.
Two young boys, five year-old Andrew and his three year-old brother slept through the murders. They were downstairs, the killings took place upstairs. Their mother, Sharon Yassim, their grandmother, Bernadette Seajatan, and their pregnant aunt, Marlyn Hassan were all killed.
Indrani Basdeu, Victim's Relative: "They were so nice, very kind people. Why did they have to come and do this? Taking two dauthers away, and the mother too?"
The two boys found the bodies of the three women when they woke up, at around 7:00 Tuesday morning. The two boys then went to a neighbor's house across the street, to try and get help.
Asifa Bedun, Neighbor: "'My mommy's dead. Please call 9-1-1.'"
Police sources told Eyewitness News that the murders stemmed from a fight between family members over religion. Marlyn was brought up Hindu, but converted to Islam when she was married.
Because she was pregnant, she could not pray as much. Our sources say that her husband was angry about that, concerned about how they raised their children.
Alem, Marlyn husband, is missing, and police are searching for him.
Late Tuesday, a family member confirmed that there was tension between the couple over religion.
Baldeo Seajatan, Victim's Husband: "She didn't complain to me, so I didn't have no right to interfere."
Jeff Rossen, Eyewitness News: "But were you aware of problems between them?"
Seajatan: "The only problems were how to raise the children."
In a relatively quiet section of Jersey City, a bloody hand print on the window marks the house where the murders occurred.
Madeline Lombardi, Neighbor: "I'm sick. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to think. Because we never had things like this happening around here. Never."
Prosecutors confirm that they are searching for the missing man, Alem Hassan. He has not been named a suspect, but police are looking to talk with him in connection with the vicious crime.
Last Updated: Jul 30, 2002