Vaz Prep mourns teacher murdered in home invasion

Keisha Hill, Senior Gleaner Writer

A sombre mood has taken over Vaz Preparatory School in St Andrew as administrators, teachers, and students were plunged into mourning following the shooting death of a teacher, Shermilla Russell-Craig.

Russell-Craig was one of three persons shot dead at a house in Waterford, St Catherine on Sunday.

Also killed in the home invasion were 74-year-old Pamela Russell and 21-year-old Romario Craig.

Forty-eight-year-old Russell-Craig was a shadow teacher to a grade four student at the Dunoon Road-based institution.

Affectionately called 'Aunty Shermilla', Principal, Karlene Bisnott, said Russell-Craig, who had been with the school for the past three years, was a caring and responsible individual.

"She was a very sociable person and did not contain herself solely to the child she was responsible for. She extended herself and saw to the well-being of the other students," Bisnott said. 

A tearful vice-principal, Yvonne Boxe, said Russell-Craig was a pleasure to work with.

"She was always early. When she came out of her car in the mornings, she always had a bright smile and engaged you in lively conversations," Boxe said. 

Bisnott said there is still a feeling of disbelief in the school community as having heard that Russell-Craig was battling for life, they are now coming to terms with the news of her passing. 

When our news team visited the institution this morning, those affected by the killing were receiving grief counselling. 

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