Thursday September 2nd, 2010
- Last update:5 hours 17 min ago
Football
Cricket
Laventilleans join in search for 10-year-old girl
Published: 15 Jun 2009
Heavily-armed soldiers and police, dressed in tactical uniforms, gather at the bottom of John John Road in Laventille, yesterday, as angry residents called for greater efficiency in the search of missing 10-year-old Tecia Henry. Photo: KEITH MATTHEWS
The desperate search for a missing ten-year-old girl turned to near violence in the Laventille community yesterday, when scores of irate residents clashed with heavily-armed police and soldiers. In their bid to locate Tecia Henry, a pupil of St Rose’s Girls’ Primary School, angry residents blocked the major roads with burning debris, demanding swift and more efficient action by law enforcement officials. Tecia went missing after leaving her mother’s home on Essex Street, John John, around 7.30 am on Saturday. The child was sent to K and G Mini-mart, at the lower end of John John, to purchase a phone card and other items. She never made it to the shop.
Sitting in front of the parlour, which was closed yesterday, the child’s mother Diane was visibly distraught. She tried to comfort her 12-year-old twin daughters, Tia and Tamara, who sat at their mother’s feet shedding tears for their missing sister. According to Diane, the walk from her home to the mini-mart is a mere three minutes. “When I saw a certain time I sent one of her sisters to check on her. The owner of the shop said he glimpsed her going up Crook Street,” Diane said.
Believing the mini-mart might have been closed, Diana said she thought her daughter might have gone to another shop on St Paul Street, not too far from where the child’s grandmother lived. “I called the aunt, but they said she not around. I call everybody and they say she not around.” Diane said her daughter never ran away from home. “It was school and home; nothing else.” Tecia Henry was last seen wearing a pink and grey jacket, a denim skirt, a shower cap and slippers.
Rapist on the prowl
Her disappearance has stirred fears that a rapist may be on the prowl in the Laventille district. One resident said last week a girl making her way home from St Phillip’s Primary School was snatched by a man who appeared to be in his 40s. The man dragged the screaming child at the back of the school and attempted to molest her. The child’s screams, however, alerted a teacher and other residents, causing the man to release the child.
Another resident on his way to work the morning Henry disappeared, said he, too, spotted a gunman lurking behind a house. According to the resident, as Henry was making her way to the shop she stopped to fix her slipper. The resident was adamant, however, that no “stranger” could have been responsible for Henry’s disappearance.
“Nobody would come in Laventille so, especially at Crook Street. Is somebody from right in here responsible.”
Joint effort
Henry’s disappearance has united the Laventille community, as warring factions have joined in the search. Gangs from Beverly Hills, Picton, Canada and Africa combed the hills up to late yesterday looking for the child. Describing the police response as “sickening,” residents said they had no choice but to take matters in their own hands. “Is a poor, black child from a poor community. That is why the police doing nothing.
She was part of group of other parents who gathered at the bottom of John John Road expressing their disgust by what they claimed was poor police response. “When we went to Besson Street Station to make the report, a Const Francis was abusing us, cursing us and trying to put us out the station and say he not taking the report,” the resident claimed.
I agree with sunshine. But
I agree with sunshine. But fact of the matter is when you watch those shows you see competent, intelligent individuals with proper resources and are driven to track criminals and solve crimes. compare the attitude with foreign officers and local officers and that will answer why crime will remain the way it is in this country.
My prayers goes out to this
My prayers goes out to this family in their time of need, keep the faith and stay strong, god is with her. With that said i would like the people of laventille to really look deep within yourselves and really ask yourself who really is to blame for the crime situation in your area? When will you stop blaming everyone else and start accepting the responsibility for the things that are happening in your area. I am saying everyone in laventille scold for whats happening but it takes a community effort to rid of this crimes and criminals. Please!!! i beg you to wake up before it's to late. YES the police force of trinidad is very incompetent and should also be held accountable for the situations in the island, but the first line of policing should come from you within the communities. *AND PLEASE* stop putting these criminals on pedestals and giving them safe houses in your areas, remember these are the same people who have your communities the way they are. POINT them all out to the police and their criminal activities for once.
I am sorry- but right now a
I am sorry- but right now a posse is not needed at Manning headquaters--save that for later-- right now residents should ban with police and go from house to house in the general area- on the hills--and conduct a search of their own- to find this child--this should have taken place the minute the child was discovered missing stop wasting time on Manning--
PNM stonghold? Its
PNM stonghold?
Its irrelevant whether the areas that have the most crimes are 'PNM strongholds', When I refer to those that support the govt I dont mean the masses, i mean the business class, the rich and powerful. Just as in the US, the masses may vote or not, but its those with money and power that determines who runs for office and to great extent (by their financing and endorsements) who wins. So by shutting the city (Port of Spain) down, by blocking roads and highways, by taking a day off from work to march in solidarity with victims of crime, the masses would be forcing the financial backers of the govt to vocalize their concerns about the escalating crime, the ineffectiveness of TnT's law enforcement authorities and the apparent indifference of the responsible govt officials (including the prime minister). As they say in the US: 'when money talks b.s. walks'. Oh and those CSI, NCIS and Law & Order shows do paint a totally inaccurate picture of crime-solving techniques. But if the TnT police could utilize even some of the basic crime fighting techniques of a modern police force I believe you would get a much high conviction rate. Can you believe that it was only this week that Acting Police Commissioner of TnT announced that soon they will have a database of mugshots available for victims to view. As we say online: WTF! Don S. NY
APC now announced a database
APC now announced a database mugshot? "Did he figure that out all by himself or did his mama help him?" What about a DNA database? What about training in forensics to actually solve a case.
Eyewitness is less reliable than Forensics Sciences. Why is it that the criminals are 50 steps ahead of the law?
Anyone who thinks watching
Anyone who thinks watching CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY or any other criminal show will solve the problem in 43 mins is fooling themselves.
Girl, you're watching too much TV. As entertaining as these shows are they only give you the impression that you can solve crime immediately. If that was the case, there wouldn't such a back log of unsolved cases in any given police department in America.
Lord Father, just you watch
Lord Father, just you watch and see if these crimes started hitting closer to all their homes how quickly the crime factor can get solved.
None of them are watching simple TV shows on cable such as, Criminal Minds, Law and Order, CSI, 48 Hours, Americans Most Wanted, etc.
It does not take the study in “Rocket Sciences” to figure this out; just watch some TV and learn how to apply these clues…
The PM is the “Joker”!
These crimes could be solved by Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.
T&T gone to the dogs, invest in firewood.
If you don't want to be
If you don't want to be entertained then my recommendation is Investigative Discovery (ID). This is the real deal.
Why does it always have to
Why does it always have to be confrontation to solve a problem?? When all the hundreds of other adults and children went missing them fools didn't riot and protest?? I'll tell you why...it's only when it hits close to home, or their own kind that they want actions like yesterday!! And some fool below wrote about wanting the "Dons" to find her before the police, goes to show the level of intelligence, or lack thereof many people have in that area!! YES I SAID IT "THAT AREA"!!! The last time I checked thats been ah PNM strong hold forever...so why the complaining now?? I don't remember dem complaining when UNC had their brief run in government (not that I'm a fan of those idiots also), but they certainly did more to control crime!! And yes I'll put my name to this article!
Franko
Franko, I must be the 'fool'
Franko, I must be the 'fool' you speak of that wants the gangs to find the little girl before the police. My level of intelligence is not low thankyou..lol... but 'your' police need to get off their rear ends and start working. This is a little girl. When the gangs can join and look for someone, and the police weren't as keen to, it shows that they are more caring than 'your' police. You seem like a very angry person by what you write, and perhaps the government (any side of) is the object of your anger, I wouldn't know, but to call me a fool is showing YOUR level of intelligence.
I do agree that confrontation doesn't help anything though.
Try to have a nice day.
Tecia is my young cousin,
Tecia is my young cousin, please pray for her safe return, regardless of what her family has she is still very valuable and priceless to us. Pray for her...
Cocobutta, I do hope that
Cocobutta, I do hope that this child is recovered alive. Hate to be a pessimist but as crime investigators always say the first 72 hours are very crucial to the investigation.
Lets hope for the best.
Cocobutta: I do hope there
Cocobutta: I do hope there will be good news, I haven't heard anything from my family over there, and I haven't seen anything yet here online.
I know there are alot of people in off the internet and on the internet that are praying for tecia and her loved ones...
Thankyou for writing in
Thankyou for writing in here, cocobutta718, sometimes there needs to be a 'face' on the story to keep people in line with what the news is really about. I do pray that your family is reunited with her, and yes, regardless of circumstances, this is a very loved little girl. I'm so sorry you and your family are going through this, and sorry that Tecia is too.
LONDON ONTARIO CANADA.
My heart goes out to the
My heart goes out to the family of this little girl and my hopes are all for her safe return. In the meanwhile, though I have never been fond of civil unrest, I think the current state of unchecked criminal activity begs for the people to rise up. Blocks streets, roads, and highways.. march to Manning's office...march to the UNC's and COP's offices... picket the police stations and police headquarters.. make noise .. demand action..everyone skip work for a day.. basically, shut the place down! By shutting the place down the businesses suffer and they will vocalize their unhappiness to the govt. The media needs to speak on this relentlessly. Challenge the Attorney General and the Chief Prosecutor as well as the Chief Justice - hold them all accountable. No debates on anything else should be allowed in Parliment until the crime issue have been addressed. Something needs to be done to get the govt to do much more about the escalating crime in TnT. The govt has the resources they just lack the necessary incentive - once the civil unrest starts to affect those that support the govt watch how fast you will see results.
Don S. NY
My sentiments exactly Don.
My sentiments exactly Don. Added to this, their constituency should bombard their offices with complaints via email and telephone calls to emphasize their displeasure.
I'm with Don on this.
I'm with Don on this. Prayers are great, but Manning must be taught he works for the PEOPLE and needs to ensure everyone's safety as best he can.. and the police also work for the people.It is outrageous that a police search was not made immediately upon knowing of the little girl's disappearance.
I'm also impressed that the warring gangs have taken to work together to look for this child too. I would like them to find her before the police do to show how incompetent the police really are.
I sincerely hope this little girl returns home quickly. My prayers are with the family and the child.
Funny but yuh only now
Funny but yuh only now realizin dat Manning wukin for the people? Only when it hit close to home does people eyes really open up eh?
Maybe I should have wrote it
Maybe I should have wrote it differently,ah trini too, manning is NOT working for the people and he should start to do so....
I'm not a Trnidadian, but I had lived there previously, so I have an inkling of what goes on there. It's not good.
And when elections time come
And when elections time come they still votin for de same party. I pray that this child is found safe and sound