At least 56 families are suffering as the year comes to an end owing to the disappearances of their loved ones.

Statistics from the police said they received 552 reports of missing people for the year, as of December 28.

This worrying trend continues to attract the attention of police, interest groups, relatives, and others searching for evidence of where these people have ended up. As it stands, 466 were accounted for, 33 males and 23 females were missing without any trace and 30 were found dead.

Since the disappearance of Zaid "Robin" Hosein, 54, of Princes Town, his family has been living in agony. The family has sought divine intervention, literally praying for answers.

"We read the Quran every night, then reduce it to every Saturday. It is heartbreaking not knowing where he is or how he is. It is difficult for the family. We are keeping hope that he is alive somewhere and will come home one day," Hosein's cousin-in-law Rose Hosein told Newsday.

"People randomly call the family saying they have information about his whereabouts. But all were invalid. They know the family is desperate for information on him."

The businessman, who owns a store in Marabella, was last seen on September 7 when he left the family's home. Hosein is not married and has no children.

Rose said every time there are reports of unidentified bodies found or someone goes missing, the family experiences emotional turmoil.

The search is ongoing for farmer Sanjay "Naren" Deodath, 31, of Moruga, who went missing in June. Days later, his truck was found abandoned in Cocoyea.

Relatives of missing retiree Orville "Ashley" Richards, 60, said the family is still awaiting DNA results to confirm that the human remains found were his.

He went missing on June 12 when he left his home at Penal Quinam Road home in Siparia. On October 7, skeletal remains were found at Deoraj Trace, off Penal Quinam Road. Clothing found near the remains matched the clothes Richards was last seen wearing.

Females, particularly 17 and under, have the highest number of missing people reports, with many being accounted for while others are found dead and some are still unaccounted for.

Two male infants - three-year-old Allon Ramdial and two-year-old Kimani Francis - were also among the missing. But their searches ended in tears.

On December 12, Allon's decomposing body was found in the Ortoire River in Mayaro, days after he went missing near his home.

Seven months earlier, on May 9, Kimani wandered from his family's home in Techier Village in Point Fortin. The next day, his body was found in the Guapo River.

Both disappearances sparked massive search operations.

Of the six missing females who were found dead, at least three were murdered. Keithisha Cudjoe, 21, of St James, was last seen alive on January 24, and her semi-nude decomposing body was found in the Heights of Aripo on January 28.

Kareen Ramlal, 43, of Pasea, Tunapuna, was last seen on Jul