Bullets fly, tempers flare as body of missing schoolgirl found in Laventille
Rickie Ramdass (T&T Express)
TECIA'S TRAGIC END
Vows of revenge, death and destruction were made by residents of John John, Port of Spain, as the decomposing body of ten-year-old Tecia Henry was found stashed under a house at Plaisance Terrace yesterday morning.
It was not far from where she lived at Cook Street, Laventille, and came one day after police, using tracker dogs, conducted house-to-house searches in the Plaisance Terrace area.
Tempers flared and threats were issued as bullets were fired and bottles and stones flew through the air and at the police at Plaisance Terrace, commonly referred to as Block Eight, where the body was found. Two men from the area shot at the officers, who in turn returned fire, but missed their targets.
Both men escaped on foot.
Police fired shots in the air after the angry mob charged at a suspect who was arrested in an apartment. He had reportedly locked himself in the room, in an attempt to escape the ferocious crowd. In all, four people were taken into custody. And as the day went by, riot officers were kept busy, as at least four fights broke out among the residents.
Henry's body was found around 8.45 a.m., covered by pieces of wood, police said. She was found by the owner of the house who reportedly got a foul stench emanating from below the building. Upon searching, she made the discovery.
Henry, a Standard Four pupil of St Rose's Girls' Primary School in Port of Spain, was supposed to celebrate her 11th birthday today.
She was found gagged, and police said they could not immediately determine how she died because of the advanced state of decomposition of the body.
They said they believed she may have been killed at the weekend. Superintendent David Abraham and Inspector Sahadeo Singh were among the officers who visited the scene.
Henry went missing on Saturday morning after being sent on an errand to buy items at the nearby K&G Mini Mart in John John, Laventille, by her mother, Diane Henry. The shop was not open at the time and the shopkeeper told Henry to return in an hour and she left.
When news spread that the girl had not returned home, residents set fires and protested, claiming that after making a report, police officers were taking no interest in the case of the missing child.
That view did not change yesterday.
The police were severely criticised, and were being held partially responsible for the child's death by residents of the area, as many believed that she would still have been alive if the police had taken the report seriously.
Beverly Taitt, a friend of the family and former wife of slain gang leader Mark Guerra, said, "These are gang-controlled areas. No one from the outside is going to come in here to do this. Someone must have seen something.
"Someone must have heard something. We, the community, need to come together. This is a sickening feeling. It's really sad for the entire community. If the police had acted sooner, she may have been saved."
One of Henry's aunts, Tracy James, said all she wanted was justice.
"I just want justice. It has to be someone from up here who do this. I want answers. Someone has to know what happened," she said.
Henry's mother cried and pounded her chest as the crowd continued to grow.
She promised to speak with reporters after her daughter's body was removed, but at 1.45 p.m., when it was taken away, she too was whisked away by homicide officers to the Forensic Science Centre, where an autopsy is expected to be performed today.
After the body was removed, Social Development Minister Dr Amery Browne made his way to Plaisance Terrace, where he spoke to the mourning family. He described the murder as a "tragedy".
The Special Anti-Crime Unit asked for assistance in solving the murder by issuing flyers at the crime scene. They asked that anyone with information which may be helpful to call 623-5202 or 800-8477.
Crime Stoppers, on Monday, also issued a $10,000 reward for anyone with information.
Homicide officers are continuing investigations.
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