By Elesha George
A 16-year-old boy from Cassada Gardens is now in police custody after he was charged for wounding with intent to murder his schoolmate, 16-year-old Je-dourea King.
King, who is a 5th form student at the Clare Hall Secondary School (CHSS) was stabbed in the chest during an altercation with the boy last Tuesday. As a result, he underwent surgery at the Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) after one of his lungs reportedly collapsed.
King’s lawyer Wendel Robinson told Observer that he is happy that a charge has been laid but said that the police should continue their investigation to reprimand the other school boys who were watching and harassing King.
“I am shocked that for well over a year, a young boy at the age of 16 has been going through these traumatic events and this terrorizing from other schoolboys, and that the incident is known to the principal of the school and other teachers of the school and virtually nothing was done. The matter would have been reported to the police on several occasions and though the police would have acted, I get the impression that nothing meaningful was done in respect of the welfare and the health and protection for this child, until the child nearly lost his life and his lungs collapsed,” he said.
Robinson, who is concerned that there are many other cases like this one, encouraged parents to speak with their children about the things that are occurring in their lives.
“Parents have to be conscious of the fact that children, sometimes when they are experiencing these things, do not go home and complain, but they must be conscious and they must be vigilant – speak to the child, question the child and if they have that kind of relationship with the child, the child will open up and tell them. Sometimes, you have to check in with the school and see how things are going as the case may be,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Principal of the Clare Hall Secondary School, Ashworth Azille told Observer that the school has been doing its best to resolve the situation between the boys.
He said not only has the school gotten their parents involved, but it has launched an investigation into the matter and has filed a report with the Ministry of Education.