Tears at student’s funeral

During the service, Dominique’s mother Karen Findley-John and aunt Yvonne Findley collapsed several times during the funeral. Both women had to be taken out of the church by family members and fire officers and EHS paramedics attended to the women. Inside, the church was packed and several mourners were forced to remain outside as grieving students, relatives and friends said their final goodbyes to Dominique.

Dominique, who was fondly called “Blackie,” was dressed in white and placed in a pink coffin, adorned with wreaths. Dominique’s class teacher Kelvin Canabie eulogised the young girl as an angel and a model student who was deeply involved in her church and religion.

Canabie said Dominique was a “model student.”

“Any teacher would have been proud to have her in their class. She was extremely helpful. Many times she would come and ask the teachers if she could have helped them,” said Canabie.

“She always wore a permanent smile, a winning smile. She loved children and was a loving, caring student. She was very active in church and school,” continued Canabie.

He said Dominique was looking forward to being baptised and saw it as an achievement in her life. The Moulton Hall Methodist Primary school choir sang at the service in Dominique’s honour, while a church dance group named “Contagious Christians” also performed.

After the service, pupils each placed a single red flower in Dominique’s casket, before the body was taken to the San Juan cemetery for burial.