Family demands answers for ward's death

Monique Grange, Assistant News Editor
The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre

The family of the ward of the state who reportedly committed suicide at the Horizon Remand Centre, is this afternoon seeking answers as to the circumstances leading to the death of the 16-year-old.

The ward has been identified as Vanessa Wint.

Family members are at this hour outside the facility trying to get information.

Her uncle, Javette Nixon told our news centre that they have been trying to speak to an official at Horizon since 8 o’ clock this morning but up to now, no one from the remand Centre has come to speak to them.

He explained that the family has still not received any official confirmation of Vanessa’s death.

He said the child’s mother was only informed about the death from an anonymous caller about 8 o’ clock last night.

In the meantime, Nixon is also raising concern that the child was being held at Horizon which is a remand centre for adults.

He said Vanessa was scheduled to be released from the facility in January.

According to him, when the family last saw her a week ago, she was in high spirits and showed no sign of depression.

Nixon said she was sent to Horizon in June for what he says were behavioral issues.

Efforts by The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre to contact the Commissioner of Corrections Colonel Sean Prendergast since this morning have been unsuccessful.

In the meantime, the Office of the Children’s Advocate says it is now investigating the death of Wint.

Children’s Advocate, Diahann Gordon-Harrison, said she received confirmation of the incident from the Commissioner of Corrections.

She says the investigation will be seeking to determine the cause of the child’s death.

The Children’s Advocate says a psychologist has also been sent to the remand centre to provide counselling to other minors at the facility.

Gordon-Harrison is seeking to assure that the government is moving to have children removed from facilities that also house adults.

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