Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
Girl, 11, killed, driver detained
Media vehicle slams into sidewalk…
An 11-year-old girl was killed on the spot at around 19:00 hrs yesterday after a pickup transporting MTV personnel slammed into a sidewalk on the Agricola, East Bank public road.
Shenice Henriques, of Lot 24 Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara, was standing on the eastern sidewalk of the public road, near Brutus Street, Agricola, when the vehicle struck her.
She sustained massive head injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Dead: Shenice Henriques
The careening pickup, PHH 752, tore out huge chunks of concrete from an abandoned structure near the sidewalk before overturning.
MTV reporter and news anchor, Chad Ramsaroop, who was the lone passenger, sustained minor injuries.
The driver, identified as Mahadeo Santool, 22, was attacked by several angry villagers, but other residents of the area intervened and saved him from injury.
He has since been detained by police.
Kaieteur News understands that the driver was transporting Ramsaroop to MTV’s Eccles office when the tragedy occurred.
According to a police traffic official, the pickup was heading at a fast rate south along the East Bank Demerara public road when another vehicle came out of Agricola onto the public road.
The official said that the driver of the pickup swerved to avoid the vehicle and slammed into the sidewalk where Henriques was standing, hitting her before overturning.
The scene of the tragedy
A woman who witnessed the mishap told Kaieteur News that she was standing on the same sidewalk near Brutus Street, Agricola, when she heard a screeching sound.
She then saw a dark-coloured car heading south along the public road. According to the woman, when the vehicle reached Brutus Street, the driver made “one sudden turn” onto the western carriageway of the public road and headed for Georgetown.
She said that the driver of the MTV pickup, which was just behind the car, swerved to avoid hitting the vehicle and careened onto the sidewalk, where it struck Henriques before overturning.
According to the eyewitness, she and others were forced to intervene when a few angry residents attempted to assault the driver.
Police ranks eventually arrived and escorted the driver from the scene.
The dead girl’s parents and other relatives were too distraught to speak to reporters.
It is unclear why the 11-year-old was on the roadway at that hour.
However, Kaieteur News understands that the child is often sent out by relatives on errands.
Yesterday’s tragedy involving media personnel evokes memories of last October’s accident at Linden, which claimed the life of NCN reporter Akila Jacobs and minibus driver Terrence Tappin.
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