TrinidadAndTobagoNews.com Reporters
June 17, 2009 – Updated: 12:15 PM
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com
Ten-year-old Tecia Henry, who was missing for four days, has been found dead and buried in a shallow grave beneath a house in Plaisance Terrace, Laventille. The body was discovered by a C.E.P.E.P. crew around 8:30 this morning.
The partially decomposed body was found semi-nude and it is suspected that strangulation had a part to play in her death.
A short while after the body’s discovery, residents of the community gathered and some attempted to take their anger out on a community leader who they felt should have known something about the disappearance and murder of the child. Police fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
Up to noon, the District Medical Officer and a forensic team was at the scene to remove the body and to further their investigation to determine the actual cause and time of her death.
Heavily armed police are currently in the area and four men have been detained in connection with the young girl’s death.
Tecia Henry, who lived on Essex Street John-John with her mother, Diane Henry and attended the St. Rose’s Girls’ primary school, had been missing since Saturday. She was sent to a nearby parlour for a few items but never returned home. The owner of the shop said that he did see Tecia but told her to come back in a few minutes when the shop was open. The last that was seen of the young Henry was by residents who observed her walking in the direction of her home.
After reports of the missing Tecia was made to the police and there was not an immediate response to look for the child, residents of the community engaged in protest as they did not believe the police was treating the matter with urgency. Following days of heated protests, National Security Minister Martin Joseph and acting Police Commissioner James Philbert visited Tecia’s mother, Diane, on Monday evening to assure her that they were utilizing all resources available to them in their effort to locate Tecia. Crime Stoppers also issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Tecia.
Unfortunately, neither protest nor the efforts of the police were able to save the life of Tecia.
Related News: June 18, 2009
‘Why kill my child’
Gunshots rang out in Laventille when news broke that the body of little Tecia Henry had been found murdered beneath a neighbour’s house yesterday.
Tecia’s tragic end
Bullets fly, tempers flare as body of missing schoolgirl found in Laventille
Please, stop the war!
Loved by the John John community, Tecia Henry, a Standard Four student of the St Rose’s Girls’ Primary School in Port-of-Spain, was looking forward to her 11th birthday party next Thursday.
Martin Joseph shaken: ‘I’m a parent too’
Girl’s murder saddens Joseph
NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Martin Joseph yesterday said he was deeply saddened by the brutal murder of ten-year-old Tecia Henry.
Riot in John John as Tecia’s body found
Angry women ‘attack’ police; Philbert sets up post
The women of Laventille vented their rage over the murder of Tecia Henry, ten, fearlessly in challenging the police who tried to calm them down.
Govt looks for home for Tecia’s family
…She was kind, loving, says teacher
78 children still missing in T&T
Panday: Criminals feel they can get away with anything here
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog – URL for this article:
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=1238
It’s a very sad day in Trinidad….and indeed very sad to see that little Tecia Henry is dead. Many things come to mind at first glance regarding this topic. Its quite apparent that someone in that vicinity must have seen Tecia with some stranger or someone she knew….If the Parlour was in short distance to where she lived, Tecia must have been seen or heard with a stranger….Therefore , the probability of her leaving with someone she didnt know , without noises is quite dim……It’s an issue that cries out for viligance and gallentry in the future.(both for the police service and persons concerened)
However, what is done , is done…..sadly, the outome is her passing….Another murder of an innocent child….
Irregardless that her parents are alleged to be drug addicts or whatever is the case…….Justice must be done….The people held with this murder should be severely punished, and without a doubt should be dealt with according to law. I just hope and pray that her siblings are given good counselling and psycho-therapy. My prayers go out to her family…May God rest the soul of little Tecia Henry……
This is indeed a sad day!
NN
There are no words one can use to explain crimes like these. What is sad is that the horror of happenings like these create selective amnesia in the minds of many. Look at the News. Over the past couple of months more than half a dozen toddlers have disappeared in the US, and a couple of them have been found brutally slaughtered. So when those who reside in the US exclaim “I am afraid to come home because of crimes like these” you do an injustice to the many who, like little innocent Tecia Henry, found themselves in presence of the devil and had the breath of life squeezed out of them.
Horrors like these will abate when we become less partisan with our emotions. The end result of the death of an innocent infant, whether it is from starvation or at the hand of satan on earth,is the same. One who has done no wrong in this world, has made on decision on the order of things in this world, and had no say in the determination of his or her life, was brutally taken away before their footprints could be imprinted on earth. We need to become intolerant of, and repulsed by, all circumstances that result in the deaths of infants. For them the means are irrevelant when the ultimate outcome is death.
bless the family of TECIA MAY YOU REST IN PEACE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD and saver (jah rastafari)
TRINIDAD NEED PRAYS BAD,THEY GUN DOWN MY COUSIN IN PASHLEY STREET LAVENTILLE,STILL NO ONE GOT CAUGHT,BUT GOD DONT SLEEP AND TRUST ME YOUR FAMILY WILL GET JUSTICE JUST AS MINE WILL ,WE WILL NOT STOP TILL WE FINED THEM BASTERD RIP TECIA AND KURT PERRYMAN GONE BUT WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN,WE LOVE YOU BOTH.
ii diidnt know her to well eventhough dat was mii cuziin but ii still have lotz of luv 4 mii lil cuz pray her soul n spirit rest iin peace R.I.P…who eva diid thiis will have to face the consequences….her deth show the police iis lackiing good workerz she probly could have been aliive today iif they only made an effort…luv u