The family and relatives of 11-year-old Mark Harry-paul, who died after he was struck in the head when a teenage boy slammed a gate shut at Strathspey Primary School, have said they will hold a protest today over the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) decision not to charge the teenager.
The incident occurred almost five months ago, but the file that was sent to the DPP for advice was only returned to the Vigi-lance Police Station last Wednesday. Harrypaul’s parents were duly inform-ed that no charge was recommended against the teenager. However, the DPP advised counselling sessions for the 14-year-old.
Sushmita Singh, Harrypaul’s mother, told Stabroek News that the family was dissatisfied with the advice from the DPP and as a result will be protesting today, in front of the Strathspey Primary School. The aim of the protest, she said, was to have the DPP review the file again.
Singh said the act was premeditated and as a result the family was demanding justice.
According to her, the teenager should be charg-ed. The bereaved mother added that she has been unable to focus since her son’s death and as a result she is out of a job.
Singh had told Stabroek News that she was informed by the school’s headmistress (HM) via telephone that another boy accidentally slammed a gate shut causing it to strike Harrypaul. As a result of the incident, Harrypaul sustained injuries and was sent home. Singh said that she was concerned about her son’s condition but was reassured by the HM that everything was alright as she had dressed the wound. At home, the boy was given Panadol to treat his headache and was put to bed. However, he was later rushed to the hospital by his father where he succumbed to his injury.
The other boy involved in the incident, a 14-year-old student of Buxton Secondary School, reportedly frequented the primary school and bullied the pupils there. This information was disclosed to the mother by other parents who came forward the next day to express their concerns about the incident. Singh said that according to what her son related to her on the day of the incident, the 14-year-old had taken his rag (face towel) and he retrieved it. The rag was taken for a second time and when Harrypaul attempted to retrieve it for a second time, the older boy ran away slamming the gate and causing her son’s head to strike it.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Harrypul died of a fractured skull (epidural hematoma) as a result of blunt trauma to head.
