Sarm Heslop: Mum believes missing daughter is dead
The mother of a woman who vanished from her boyfriend’s catamaran in the Caribbean two years ago says she believes her daughter is dead.
Sarm Heslop was last seen as she left a bar on St John in the US Virgin Islands with Ryan Bane on 7 March 2021.
He reported her missing from Siren Song, moored off the island, at 02:30 local time the following morning.
Her mother, Brenda Street, said: “I feel I should grieve. I don’t know how to. My heart’s broken.”
The former flight attendant’s possessions, including her bank cards and mobile phone, were on the boat where she had been staying and working with Mr Bane, a US citizen.
Ms Street told the BBC: “Now after two years it’s not possible she is missing. I don’t believe she is still alive – I wish to be able to find her and bring her home.
“Sarm would never put her family and friends through this torment, this gut wrenching heartache for this long.
“I imagine her as a mermaid…. If she is in the ocean because she loved the ocean.
Mr Bane reported Ms Heslop missing to police at 02:30 local time on 8 March 2021 – the coastguard was only informed around noon the same day.
His lawyer denied officers’ requests to search the boat and he has not given an interview to police.
The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) have not been able to confirm if Ms Heslop was on board as reported.
Ms Street said: “They just seem to try and push it under the carpet. I had an email from the VIPD a couple of weeks ago. That’s the first time in 18 months. It said, ‘Hope you’re doing well, have you any further information?’
“My relationship with the authorities is non-existent, they just ignore us. We sent a long list of questions – lawful and legal ones – but they just didn’t reply to us.”
Currently her disappearance is being treated as a missing persons investigation by VIPD.
Source: (BBC News)