Second arrest made in case of elderly woman’s ‘mummified’ body found in house
Toriann Ellis / Our Today
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Several charges have been laid against two Westmoreland women following the discovery of the body of Viola Destin of Good Hope district, in Westmoreland.
Destin’s body was found in a mummified state on Sunday, July 6.
Charged are 54-year-old Gena Robinson of Old Hope district and 49-year-old Lavern Wedderburn of Rocky Hill in Sheffield.
The duo have been charged with:
- Concealment of a corpse
- Preventing the lawful burial of a corpse
- Perverting the course of justice
- Conspiracy to conceal a corpse and
- Conspiracy to prevent the lawful burial of a corpse.
Reports from the Savanna-La-Mar police indicate that Wedderburn saw Destin begging in Savanna-La-Mar sometime in 2023 and informed Robinson about her untenable living situation. Robinson and Wedderburn then sought advice from a pastor overseas, and following his instructions, they started to care for Destin. Shortly after, Destin became gravely ill and was moved to Robinson’s house in the Old Hope district, where she died on Sunday, December 10.
Following her death, the caregivers opted to conceal the body inside a room at the house and sprinkled it with chemicals and baking soda to keep the stench down. A relative of Robinson’s stumbled upon the body at the house on Sunday, July 6, 2025, and summoned the police. On their arrival, the mummified remains of the elderly woman were found covered beneath sheets, plastic and tarpaulin.
Following the discovery, the scene was processed, and the remains were transported to the morgue pending a post-mortem examination.
Robinson was taken into custody the same day the body was found, and Wedderbun three days later. They were charged on Tuesday, July 15, after they gave caution statements. They also confessed to the roles they played in question-and-answer sessions in the presence of two Justices of the Peace.
A court date is being finalised for them.
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