The police are seeking legal advice in the case of the death of 12-year-old Amanda Smith of Aishalton, Deep South Rupununi, Region Nine, while a suspect remains in custody.
Commander of Regional Division Nine, Superintendent Raphael Rose, told Stabroek News yesterday that Smith’s uncle was still in police custody.
Smith’s lifeless body was discovered by her brother in their yard on the night of April 22. A police report stated that a post-mortem examination revealed that Smith died from brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head and face compounded by compression injuries to the neck.
According to information received, Smith’s uncle, a 17-year-old secondary school dropout, also of Aishalton Deep South Rupununi, told the police that he went to the victim’s home on Saturday night to check on them while their parents were out.
He said he saw her brother exit the house and go to the outside toilet and he proceeded into the house. He further stated that Smith was rushing towards the door to go outside to urinate and he put his foot out and tripped her. She fell, hit her head on the concrete wall next to the door, and lost consciousness. He told the police that he panicked, picked her up and took her to the backyard. When he heard the brother calling for his sister, he escaped.
On Friday, her grieving father, Hezron Smith, told this newspaper that the family was at a loss as to what transpired. He explained that on the night of her demise, he and her mother were visiting a friend when his son alerted them of his discovery.
His daughter’s body was found at approximately 8.15 pm, the father said. He explained that on the night of her death, they all had dinner and she along with her siblings went to bed while they went to visit a friend in the village.
The father added that the area where his daughter was found was poorly lit, and when they arrived she was motionless and lying on her back. The police were immediately summoned.