Fatal teen love

Renaldo Dixon, of Bagna Trace, Chase Village, Chaguanas was stabbed three times, twice in the back, once in the right side and his wrist was slit, police said.

A 13-year-old Form Two girl who, according to reports, the schoolboys fought over is said to have fainted several times and had to be rushed by ambulance for medical treatment.

The 16-year-old student, of Freeport, who was due to write his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) History examination yesterday afternoon, has since been detained and is assisting police with their investigations.

Up to late yesterday, police continued to search in and around the school compound for the murder weapon believed to be a knife.

Injured in the melee was Pravan Jagmohan, 14, a Form Three student, who police identified as one of the students who went to part the fight that occurred inside Dixon’s classroom. Jagmohan sustained a cut on his neck and was treated at the Freeport Health Facility and later discharged.

The killing brought an abrupt end to CSEC and National Certificate of Secondary Examination (NCSE) exams which were in progress. School was dismissed immediately as police officers along with officials of the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders swarmed the school.

Vehicles soon after pulled up outside the school as parents collected their children while others awaited transportation. Several students were seen hugging and crying.

Minutes before he met his death Dixon, had completed his NSCE in Oral Spanish, Newsday learnt.

The teenager was described as a “heart-throb” and a weeping female student said girls always went after him.

She said, “He was a real cutie and friendly, the girls man.”

According to a police report, at about 10.30 am yesterday, Dixon and the older student got into an argument over a girl when Dixon was stabbed several times. He was rushed to the nearby Freeport Health Facility by school personnel where he later succumbed to his injuries.

A team of officers from the Central Police Division led by Snr Supt Peter Reyes, Supt Johnny Abraham and including Insp Terrence Williams along with officers of the Southern Homicide Bureau and Freeport Police Station visited the school and health facility. At about 3.45 pm, the body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James for an autopsy today.

A student described the scene at school as “pure madness.”

She said, “There was blood all over (name called). He had blood all over his clothes when they held him and took him to the principal’s office. Renaldo (Dixon) was bleeding profusely. When the teachers realise what happened, they locked all the gates so we couldn’t get out. It was a nightmare with police and sirens. Blood was dripping everywhere, it was pure madness.”

She and her classmates were in the science lab when they heard of the stabbing.

Students reported the girl liked the two boys. It is believed the girl met Dixon and had called over the other boy when an argument began. They said the older boy was not expected in school until the afternoon.

“God alone knows why (name called) to come to school when he was not supposed to come until this evening (Monday) to write exams. We had warned him to stay away from (the girl) but he didn’t listen,” said a student.

“She get real boo down when she start fainting and everybody was chasing her telling her not to return to school as she caused Renaldo’s death and (name called) now in jail.”

Scores of close relatives and friends gathered outside Freeport Health Facility as officers of the Southern Homicide Bureau including Sgt Maharaj and WP Cpl Johnson conducted interviews.

Dixon’s mother Camille Taitt, 34, later emerged and spoke to Newsday.

Asked if she knew of her son’s involvement with a girl, she said she had never heard him speak of being in a relationship but knew he had a number of friends.

The mother of four said, “Only last week he visited the home of a friend. I didn’t put anything to it, I know the family. I don’t know if that is the girl involved.”

Taitt said her son left home a very happy child for his Spanish exams

“I received a call from his teacher telling me that he got stabbed and I should meet them in Couva, then I got another call to go to Freeport instead,” she said.

Dixon said when she got there she saw doctors fighting to save his life.

“They were doing CPR but he didn’t make it. I didn’t send my child today to school to get killed,” she cried. “Everyday I hearing about it and now it has hit home.”

Before leaving home, Dixon had asked for his favourite meal, macaroni pie and chicken, to carry to school for lunch.

“I warmed his food and he say, ‘Mammy I going’, it’s the last I heard from him,” she said.

Taitt called on all mothers to talk to their sons.

“Help groom their minds to do the right things. Things happen in school to children that are not right,” she said. “Children”, she continued, “ if you have problems talk to someone.”

In a statement, Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh expressed “his sadness and heartfelt condolences to the parents, family, classmates, students, teachers, friends and other loved ones. May God be with them at this time.”

A spokesperson told Newsday the Student Support Services Division sent a team to the school to provide counselling, along school social workers, to the students, teachers and family members of the two boys, girl and those injured in the melee.