A 73-year-old resident of Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, has been missing for more than a week, sparking a coordinated search effort by local community members and law enforcement. Lawrence Hyacinth, a resident of the Morne Giraud neighborhood, was last seen by his family at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2. When he left his home that afternoon, he was dressed in casual attire: shorts, slippers, and a commemorative family reunion t-shirt emblazoned with the name “Hyacinth” on the back.
Relatives later confirmed that independent sightings by Hyacinth’s friends placed him in the area on the following Wednesday morning. This partial confirmation has left the family clinging to cautious hope, suggesting he may have traveled outside the boundaries of his immediate neighborhood rather than remaining close to home.
Since Hyacinth was reported missing, volunteers from northern communities across the island have mobilized to comb through local areas in search of any trace of him. Dozens of family members, friends, neighbors and ordinary residents have volunteered their time to check wooded areas, local businesses, public gathering spots and abandoned properties, but as of yet, no credible clues to his whereabouts have emerged.
Marylin Hyacinth, Lawrence’s sister, spoke publicly about the family’s urgent distress, noting that their anxiety is amplified by the 73-year-old’s pre-existing health conditions. “We are begging members of the public, especially bus drivers who travel across the island every day, to keep an eye out for him and reach out if they see anything that matches his description,” she said in an interview.
She explained that Lawrence faces heightened risk due to his combination of medical issues: he lives with both dementia, which can impair his ability to navigate or communicate where he is, and diabetes, which requires consistent medication and blood sugar management. With each passing day that brings no update on his location, the family’s worry grows exponentially.
Marylin Hyacinth confirmed that the family notified law enforcement immediately after realizing Lawrence was missing. “We filed a missing person report with police right from the start, and we have been checking in regularly for updates while continuing our own independent search efforts across the island,” she said.
Beyond on-foot searches led by local volunteers, the family has launched a public awareness campaign to spread information about Hyacinth’s disappearance. They have distributed hundreds of flyers featuring a clear photograph of Lawrence and multiple family contact information to community centers, shops, and post offices in towns across Saint Lucia, in the hope that a member of the public may have seen him and can share critical information.
Local police have confirmed they are supporting the search effort. Investigators have been reviewing public and private surveillance camera footage from areas near Hyacinth’s home and along common travel routes, though the investigation is still ongoing with no conclusions to date.
The Hyacinth family is urgently appealing to anyone who has spotted Lawrence, or who has any information about where he may be staying, to contact them immediately. Anyone with relevant details can reach the family at three dedicated phone lines: 4894565, 5208020, or 4885646.