FINGERS POINTED BUT APPEAL FOR CALM IN DEEP RURAL ST ANN
GIBRALTAR: April 24, 2024
Seven-year-old Ayequan Currie wasn’t at school on Monday. When his principal visited him at home to ask him why and to get him to come out on Tuesday, to Madras All Age and Infant School, St Ann, Ayequan he said yes, he would be there.
On Tuesday morning, the boy’s body was found in a tank at his home in Barnstable, near Watt Town, St Ann.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to school as he promised,” said principal Sashanna Bryan Campbell. She said the death has hurt the close-knit community and the students and teachers at the school.
“Some of the children are upset, their parents said some had nightmares and others were crying out in their sleep,” the principal told North Coast Times, on Wednesday, April 24.
She said it was her usual response and that of the guidance counsellor to visit the home of children with high levels of absenteeism. Mrs Bryan Campbell said the grade 2 boy was absent a few days the previous week and again on Monday, April 22.
“So on Monday, I visited his home. I asked him why he wasn’t at school. He didn’t answer but he said he would come on Tuesday and I left a message with him to ask his father to come to school with him and see me.
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Cardell Wickham calls for calm
The boy’s death has thrown the small communities of Barnstable and Watt Town into turmoil with accusations being made against his father. Aquan, a sibling and his father live alone as Aquan’s mother left the relationship some time ago. On Tuesday morning as news of the death spread, some residents of the community pointed fingers at the father and some were planning to harm him. Police intervened.
The North Coast Times was unable to reach the boy’s father who was questioned by police Tuesday. Police are awaiting a post-mortem examination as they investigate the death.
Councillor for the Gibraltar Division Cardell Wickham says the death was unfortunate. He says there are many allegations but he asked people to be calm and allow the police investigations to take place. “We don’t know what happened. Allow the police to do their work.”
Mrs Bryan Campbell said Aquan was a quiet but active boy who, like most from the community, loved the outdoors.
