Boy accused of murder goes to court today

Western Bureau:

The thirteen-year-old boy who was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of a nine-year-old female student of the New Works Primary School in Westmoreland some three weeks ago, is to make his first appearance in the Savanna-la-Mar Family Court today.

The deceased, Kadijah Chavealee Saunders, of Dundee district in Westmoreland, was found dead in bushes in Bog district, not far from her school, on the night of Tuesday, June 5, hours after she failed to return home from school.

The day after Saunders' body was found, the 13-year-old boy, who also attended the New Works Primary School and was an occasional visitor to the girl's home, was taken into custody by the police. He was subsequently arrested and charged after he was interrogated about the incident.

Cynthia Saunders, Kadijah's mother told The Gleaner yesterday that she was very pleased with the professional manner in which the police carried out their investigations.

"The entire family is quite pleased with the speed of the investigations, and we must commend the police," said the still distraught mother. "We are all still grieving because we miss her so much."

With the post-mortem now completed and the cause of death determined, the mother said that the family would now move to the most difficult phase of finalising preparations for Kadijah's funeral.

"We have set a date for the funeral. She will be buried this Saturday in Bog district. It will be another sad day for the family," she said.