Achazia James of Fort Road has been identified as the country’s 10th homicide for the year, after her body was discovered at Runaway Beach on Sunday morning.
Two beachgoers reportedly stumbled on the body of the 15-year-old which bore multiple chop wounds.
As law enforcement launched a high-level investigation into the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Frankie Thomas confirmed that James was reportedly last seen alive just after 3am on Sunday and she was pronounced dead at 8:53am.
Members of the public have expressed shock and sorrow over the ‘cruel and senseless killing’ of the teenager, who was a student at Princess Margaret School.
One person, who said that she was one of Achazia’s teachers, wrote on social media that “she wasn’t perfect, but she was bright and honest and raw, but you would be too if you had to struggle like she did sometimes.
“She was first nearly ALL year! A week couldn’t pass, and she don’t come looking to try keep her grades up or just talk.”
This latest tragedy came amidst a recent spike in criminal activity that has shaken the nation.
James is the second female teenager to be murdered for the year, after the 16-year-old Yennifer Bridge was found along Fig Tree Drive, in a forested area, in June.
Within the past two weeks, Antigua and Barbuda has recorded three murders, including the killing of young Achazia, as well as rapes, and numerous armed robberies targeting small businesses in broad daylight, break-ins, larcenies, and wounding incidents.
The escalation in crime resulted in police officers shooting three robbery suspects—one fatally—in Ebenezer on Thursday afternoon after the alleged thieves committed an armed robbery of a Parham superette shortly after 1pm that day, which prompted Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney to address the nation.
Meanwhile, in response to the escalating crime situation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne is scheduled to address the nation on Tuesday.
Browne, who has been increasingly frustrated with the escalating criminal activity, took to Facebook yesterday and issued a stern warning that “immigrants who come to our country and violate with robberies, gun crimes and violence, may return to their homeland as cargo”.
The government is taking swift action, with plans for the Prime Minister to meet with the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General to discuss strategies for combatting the crime surge.
Additionally, there are reports that Prime Minister Browne is urging Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin to meet with the Acting Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Mario Michel, to advocate for harsher penalties for repeat offenders.
Authorities are appealing to the public for the assistance and is urging anyone with information that could aid in the investigation of Achazia James’s murder is urged to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 462-3913 or Crimestoppers at 800-8477.
