9-y-o Nikita Noel died of manual strangulation
Published:Wednesday | July 12, 2023 | 12:13 AMLivern Barrett/Senior Staff Reporter
Nikita Noel, the nine-year-old girl whose body was found in bushes in Hanover earlier this year, died from “manual strangulation”, prosecutors disclosed in court yesterday, citing a post-mortem report.
The post-mortem examination also found “recent abrasions and lacerations to the vulva and vagina”, according to prosecutors.
The disclosures were made after Omar Green pleaded guilty to charges of murder and rape in the Hanover Circuit Court yesterday for the brutal slaying of his one-time ‘stepdaughter’.
The child’s mother is Green’s ex-girlfriend.
His sentencing hearing is set for July 31.
Following the conviction, prosecutors withdrew the death penalty notice that had been served on Green.
Prosecutors disclosed that, on February 1 this year, Nikita was transported to Esher Primary School, where she was enrolled, by her regular driver.
MOTHER’S INQUIRES
When she did not return by the customary 4 p.m., her mother called the driver, who indicated that he “dropped her off at the usual spot at the usual time”.
“[Mother’s name redacted] made inquiries in the community for her daughter and was unsuccessful in locating her or in obtaining any useful information,” a prosecutor told the court.
The mother made a report to the Lucea police where a sergeant mobilised a team, including residents, that went to her community of Kew district to search for the missing child.
During the search, the body of the nine-year-old was found in bushes approximately 100 yards from her home. She was still dressed in her school uniform, which was dishevelled.
“Blood was seen on the right side of her face with small bruises to the right side of her face in close proximity to the right eye and marks to the right side of her neck,” the prosecutor disclosed.
Several blood samples and other evidence were collected at the scene and sent to the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine for testing.
“There is very strong support that accused Omar Green is one of the contributors to this mixed profile,” said the prosecutor, citing the outcome of DNA tests done on blood samples found on the ground near Nikita’s body.
Green started crying and said, “me want say something, but mi want a lawyer” during an interview with police investigators on March 7 this year, after he was told that his DNA was found on Nikita’s body and cautioned.