Investigations ongoing into child suicide at City school

A 15-year-old student of a City school died by suicide this week, prompting immediate intervention by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, through the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA).

The CPA has since conducted a full Zoom session with the children of the school and has invited them to do one-on-one, in-person counselling sessions with the agency.

“I am very disturbed that a school-going child will take her life. We know that the parents are deeply affected by the loss of this child and we would like to extend our deepest sympathies from the Ministry and to offer our support,” Minister Persaud expressed following the incident.

“From the moment we heard this, we reached out to the school and her classmates and we provided counselling for those who have been seriously affected. We will work with the parents and all those involved because this is a very, very tough time for them,” she added.

During the meeting with the students, the Director of Children Services and Head of CPA Ann Greene encouraged the children that should they too come across difficult situations in life, using a permanent solution for a temporary problem is never the way to go. Immediately following the meeting, one student visited the CPA and benefitted from a one-on-one session.

Greene promised the students that she will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to determine what really led to the girl ending her life. “I gave them that promise and we’ve started the process to find out because you see, she’s gone too soon and there is need for the remaining students to get closure.”

The intervention by the Ministry seeks to assist the students to cope with the tragedy by providing necessary psychosocial supports at this time.  Assistance of psychosocial support to deal with the loss will also be given to the immediate family.

The CPA has since visited the girl’s father who is very distraught at the moment and puzzled as to what could have caused his daughter to take such an action.  (Press release from Ministry of Human Services and Social Security)