Who shot, killed Samai?

It is uncertain where the bullet that claimed the life of the Form Four student of Asja Girls’ College, Charlieville was fired from as there were no spent shells found at the home.

What investigators were certain of is that the bullet struck her hip.

Police report that about 1.30 pm, Samai was in her bedroom when gunshots were heard echoing from her home at Mandela Drive, Orange Field Road, Carapichaima.

Samai was found unconscious covered in blood with her notebooks, text books and study material around her on the bed.

The teenager was taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility where she was pronounced dead. Medical sources said Samai sustained a bullet wound to her hip. Police officers cordoned off her family home with caution tape, as her two brothers and three sisters, ages four to eightyears- old, who were in the house at the time of the shooting were placed safely in police vehicles while investigators searched the house for evidence.

Investigators suspect the teenager may have been shot by a gun belonging to a family member but were not certain her death was accidental.

Samai’s grandmother, Carol Devenish, who was not at home when the shooting occurred, was confused about how her granddaughter was killed.

She was told Samai’s siblings, their father and other relatives were in the house when they had heard what sounded like “scratch bombs” and one of her brothers went to check on her in her room and found her bleeding on the bed. Samai’s mother was at work.

“It is really strange, her father said all he heard was the sounds like a scratch bomb and then everyone screamed and then (Samai’s) brother found her bleeding on her bed,” she said.

“When they took her to the health centre I heard she was bleeding badly.

“They tried to move her to Mt Hope (Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex) but they did not make it. It was too late,” she said. Holding back her tears, the grandmother said relatives are still in shock.

“All this child does be on is her book. She always studying and reading. She was so very intelligent,” Devenish said.

She said her granddaughter usually stayed on her bed to study. It was where she was found covered in blood, with her head down.

“All she does (when she gets home) from school is cook and then straight to her books. She wanted to be a doctor and she would always tell me that,” she said.

A neighbour said Samai was an exemplary student for other girls in her community. She said the teenager was focused on “making something of herself ”.

“I am still in shock. I can’t believe this happen. I can’t believe she is gone, but no one know who killed her and how it happened exactly,” she said. Investigators have questioned several persons, including a man and a woman.

An autopsy is to be performed tomorrow at the Forensic Science Centre, St James and officers of the Homicide Bureau (Region III) are continuing investigations.