The mother of Andre Thompson, the eight-year-old who was found hanging from a piece of wood attached to a pig pen at Linden a week ago, believes that he was killed.
A post-mortem examination has determined the cause of Thompson’s death to have been compression injuries to the neck consistent with hanging.
The Guyana Police Force had reported that Thompson was discovered hanging with his jersey around his neck on December 22nd, at his South Amelia’s Ward, Linden home.
Further, their enquiries had revealed that he was at home with his parents and siblings and about 1.30 pm they had retired to bed, leaving him in his room.
However, at about 5.30 pm, his mother made checks to locate him but he was not seen. Further checks were conducted in the yard and he was discovered hanging from a piece of wood attached to a domestic rearing pen with his jersey around his neck.
He was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was pronounced dead on arrival
But Nashanna Thompson told Stabroek News yesterday that she believes her son was strangled to death before he was hanged.
The woman said she is suspicious of someone known to the family due to an ongoing dispute with him.
The grieving mother explained that on the day in question, she was feeding a younger child when she fell asleep, leaving Andre completing school work on his bed, which was situated right next to hers.
She shared that after waking up and realising that he was not inside the home, she asked his other siblings where he was and was told that he was under the house.
The woman disclosed that she then made her way outside to check for him while calling out his name in hopes of locating him.
However, he was nowhere in sight and no answers were heard.
The sobbing woman noted that she later saw him hanging and approached him but there was nothing she could have done since he appeared to have already been dead for some time.
Nashanna said on Christmas Day the individual she suspects to be her son’s killer told her that Andre’s death was what he had deserved, while adding that her family would pay and her son “had to pay with his life”.
The woman questioned what her young son could have done to deserve such an end. She said she had told police of her suspicions and they asked that she allow them to investigate.
Andre was described as a joyful and brilliant child who always took the lead in his class.
She noted that he had anticipated Christmas Day and was excited about celebrating his upcoming birthday in January, when he was promised a party by his parents.
The woman further added that she is unsure about when Andre will be buried since the family is still determining where they will source the finances for it.
The woman also indicated that she has not been coping well since the child’s death and has been experiencing spasms, which have made her feel weak, and she has also been unable to eat.
She added that she has also been unable to sleep as she continues to recall the image of her son when she found him.
