Girl, 4, was murdered

Police investigators made the confirmation yesterday having obtained the autopsy results which stated that little Jenice, a pupil of the Whiteland Early Childhood Learning Centre, in Gasparillo, died as a result of blunt force trauma to the body. “The autopsy states that she sustained multiple blows to head and stomach area. She was badly beaten,” confirmed police yesterday.

Pathologist Dr Eslyn Mc Donald- Burris performed the autopsy yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. Jenice, lived with her father, Robert Figaro, 37, and other relatives at Morocoy Extension Road, Whiteland, on the outskirts of Gasparillo. She was the only child for her father and mother Shana Charles, 30, of Gasparillo.

Her parents have been estranged for sometime.

At about 9 pm last Thursday, a female relative found Jenice unresponsive on a mattress at her home. The child was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Police investigators were told that earlier that day, the child “suddenly fell ill”. She had also been complaining of stomach aches.

Jenice’s paternal grandfather Lucien Fabien, 53, had told Newsday that a cast was recently removed from her hand.

A female relative claimed that Jenice broke her hand during a fall.

Newsday learnt that the grandfather and a paternal uncle witnessed yesterday’s autopsy. Relatives yesterday opted not to speak to reporters.

Funeral arrangements are being made and police investigators say an arrest is imminent.