New York woman found unconscious in a wheelchair at Jamaica hospital dies on her birthday
Samnath had visible marks of violence on her body and died from multiple blunt force trauma to the head
A New York woman who had travelled to Jamaica to celebrate her birthday was found unconscious in a wheelchair at a hospital and later pronounced dead, in what authorities are treating as a murder investigation.
What happened
Melissa Samnath, 35, a dual national of Jamaica and the United States, died at a hospital in the northwestern Jamaican parish of St James on 29 April — her birthday.
According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force, she had been dropped off at the hospital by Dane Watson, believed to be her husband, who "assisted her" from a vehicle before leaving the scene.
Television Jamaica (TVJ) previously reported that Samnath had been left unconscious in a wheelchair and had "visible marks of violence" on her body. She was pronounced dead by the time medical staff responded. A post-mortem examination concluded she died from "multiple blunt force trauma to the head."
Chilling final messages
Samnath's sister, Liza Marie Samnath, told TVJ she received alarming text messages from Melissa on the night she is believed to have been killed. In the exchange, the person believed to be Melissa wrote: "I need you to call the cops. Look at my location. It's the pink house," according to screenshots shared by the network.
Liza said Melissa had asked her to track her location via their phones' location-sharing system. "When I checked the location, she was not at the location where her Airbnb was," Liza said.
Suspect taken into custody
On Saturday, 16 May — nearly three weeks after Samnath's death — Watson was taken into custody after family members turned him in, the Jamaica Constabulary Force confirmed. As of Monday, 18 May, Watson had not been charged, and it was not immediately clear whether he had denied the allegations or retained legal representation.
Questions over the marriage
Whilst the Jamaica Constabulary Force stated that Samnath and Watson had married in December, Liza told TVJ that the family is questioning whether the marriage actually took place. The reason for this suspicion was not immediately clear.
Tributes and fundraiser
A GoFundMe has been established to help Melissa's family give her a "peaceful and beautiful farewell." The fundraiser describes her as "a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her," adding that she "loved travelling, exploring new places, and spending time with the people she cared for most."
