KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – An 11-year-old girl is among a group of minors that police have taken into custody as investigations continue into the death of a 13-year-old teenager whose body was found half naked on Sion Hill Bay, on the outskirts of the capital on Monday. The police are yet to issue an official statement on the killing but they have launched a homicide investigation into the death of Matthew Da Souza, 13, after his body was found on the beach naked from the waist down with apparent injuries to the head. Da Souza had a history of begging on the street of Kingstown and the fact that the body was half naked resulted in speculation that he might have been sexually assaulted and killed. But media reports quoting sources said that at least two boys and a girl, aged 11, all with a history of running away from home, had said that they were present when Da Souza suffered what might have been the fatal blow on Sunday. One of the male children is alleged to have taken something and struck Da Souza in the head while they were in the water. He was taken out and dragged onto the sand where he died. Da Souza’s death is the fourth homicide in St. Vincent since Friday, bringing the total to 34 this year. Meanwhile, police said that a suspect is helping with their investigation into the stabbing death of Elijah Crease, a 34-year-old labourer, who died on Monday at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, in Kingstown. Last Sunday, police who responded to a report of a fatal shooting in Petit Bordel found the body of Othnell Lavia, 37, a farmer of Petit Bordel, with multiple gunshot wounds. His death was the second killing in the North Leeward town last weekend. It followed that of last Friday, of a 29-year-old labourer, Stanron Stapleton. Preliminary investigations revealed that Stapleton was approached by an unknown assailant.

Tourism officials are optimistic about visitor arrivals from the US market for the upcoming winter season. The positive outlook has been shared by Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill. He was speaking during a press briefing to celebrate the 15th anniversary of JetBlue’s non-stop service between Barbados and New York’s JFK Airport. Minister Gooding-Edghill says the partnership has been vital to shaping the tourism landscape. JetBlue’s General Manager for Barbados and Grenada, Kelly Bourne, says JetBlue has become one of the island’s leading airlines.

Government is gearing up to shell out close to a million dollars to purchase a building to be used as a secured treatment facility for children. Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey says the building, which has already been identified, will be modernised to offer care and support to children who need it. He shared details about the project with the media on the sidelines of the Seniors’ Roundtable Discussion at the Queen’s Park Steel Shed. Minister Humphrey also announced that Cabinet has decided to have one person leading the Child Care Board and National Assistance Board. He says the move forms part of the amalgamation of social care agencies.