Murdered Bishop’s girl ‘had another side,’ say friends

WHILE the parents of murdered Bishop Anstey High School student Kamilah Townsend are grief-stricken over the killing of their daughter, colleagues and friends are claiming she had another side. According to a schoolmate, “Kamilah often leave school half-day to meet a friend. And she would often come to school with extra clothes in her bag. “On Wednesday, she left early but next day when she did not turn up everyone became worried.” Kamilah, 16, was a sixth former of Old Paddock Road in Diego Martin. Her decomposing body was fished out of a river in the Heights of Guanapo, Arima, on Saturday evening. Her body bore a bullet wound and several chop marks. Her father, Trevor Townsend, chief executive officer of Trinidad Aggregate Products Ltd, had reported her missing on Thursday, and to all the daily newspapers on Friday.

When Newsday spoke to the father, he denied she was a badly-behaved girl or was ever in trouble and begged for her return, claiming they loved her and wanted to work out any problem. He also claimed they had no quarrel and could not see a reason why she would want to leave home. Police found a number of school items lining the track to the river which they believe was a trail left by the girl. Two beds were found near the pool, and neighbours told Newsday it was commonly used by couples who frequented the area. Several efforts to contact the girl’s father and mother, Pamela, for a comment on the girl’s death were futile, as a person who identified herself as a family member said they were too distraught to speak to Newsday. Police sources have confirmed that several of her school colleagues and her social friends have been interviewed. They indicated that they are looking for a Belmont man with whom she often spent time to assist them with their investigation.