IT has been three weeks since mother of five, Radha Roopnarinesingh, disappeared without a trace.

Her co-workers are however still hoping that she is alive.

Roopnarinesingh's co-workers at RRM Plaza in San Fernando said yesterday she was a woman whose focus was her children and she would not have run off and abandoned them.

Roopnarinesingh, 44, had been employed as a maintenance worker for the past two years.

Her co-workers, who did not want to be identified, said she worked hard to support her family.

"I don't want to think that anything bad happened to her," one co-worker said.

Another told the Express: "I hope the police find her, for her children's sake."

Officers of the Homicide Division (South) and Anti-Kidnapping Unit have been assigned to work on the case.

A police officer told the Express that it is proper protocol for homicide officers to be informed and involved in all missing persons reports.

A man who may hold the key to Roopnarinesingh's disappearance had been detained for several days but later freed.

The man, of Freeport, was to meet Roopnarinesingh to show her an apartment in San Fernando.

The mother was looking for a cheaper place to live since she was the sole breadwinner for herself and four children.

Roopnarinesingh left home on Republic Day (September 24) and was last seen wearing a blue three-quarter jeans, pink top and white sandals. She was carrying a brown wallet in her hand.

Her daughter, Andra Roopnarinesingh, said she has not been heard of or seen since.

The man is a known con artist, the daughter was later told.

He was interviewed by two police officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit assigned to the case and gave a statement denying that he met with Roopnarinesingh.

His house was searched, but nothing belonging to Roopnarinesingh was found.

He remained in custody as "a person of interest" for more than a week, but after police found no evidence against him he was released from custody.

No other suspects have since been detained in the case, a police source told the Express.

Andra Roopnarinesingh said yesterday her family has been broken apart.

Her teenaged brother found a job working at a grocery.

"We moved out of the apartment we were living in because we could no longer afford the rent. Mom had the food card and we were told that we have to wait two months until we can reapply for another one. A relative has taken in my brother and I, but my other two siblings have gone to live with their father. The family is not the same," the daughter said.

*If anyone has information that

can help the police in this

case, please contact the

Anti-Kidnapping Unit at 679-3165, Homicide Bureau at 652-0495,

or Andra Roopnarinesingh at

304-1566.