(Jamaica Observer) ANCHOVY, St James — A 14-year-old student of Anchovy High school was fatally stabbed allegedly by one of her classmates during a fight on the main road near the school as they headed home at the end of the morning shift on Wednesday afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as Jamella Dawkins of Potosi, John’s Hall, in the parish. Her alleged killer has since been taken into custody. The police report that about 12:20 pm the two schoolgirls had a fight when a knife was brought into play. Dawkins was stabbed and was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where doctors declared her dead. Her alleged attacker reportedly fled the scene but was later held by the police in Montego Hills.
Yesterday’s tragic incident is said to be the result of a feud which developed not long ago between the two grade eight students who were once best friends.
The Jamaica Observer was told that the deadly fight was the second between the two in three days.
Efforts to get a comment from the school’s principal yesterday proved futile, as he was said to be locked in a meeting with staff and Ministry of Education personnel.
In a telephone interview, the school’s Chairman Calvin G Brown said the incident has left the entire school population and the families of the victim in deep mourning.
“The entire school is in mourning. The school is concerned about the fact that the incident took place and we have lost two children, the victim and the aggressor. We sympathise with the parents of both children, especially the victim. It is so senseless,” Brown lamented.
He argued that the incident underscored the need for clinical psychologists in the school system.
“Somehow we have to learn to manage aggression and you are never too young to begin to teach these types of things so that children can learn to manage conflict,” noted Brown.