In a shocking incident that has left the nation of Guyana in mourning, a 14-year-old girl allegedly set fire to her school, resulting in the tragic deaths of 20 children. The incident took place in a mining town called Mahdia, located approximately 200 miles from the capital city of Georgetown. The fire consumed a dormitory at Mahdia Secondary School, where the children were unable to escape as the doors were locked.
Reports indicate that the girl committed this heinous act after her phone was confiscated by the dorm mother and her teacher. National Security Adviser Gerald Gouveia revealed that the phone had been taken away as a disciplinary measure, as the girl was involved in a relationship with an older man. Enraged by the school’s decision to seize her phone, the girl resorted to setting the dormitory ablaze.
Gouveia explained that the dorm mother was inside the building at the time of the incident but managed to escape, although she struggled to locate the correct keys to unlock the doors from the inside. The girl suspect herself suffered injuries in the fire and is currently receiving medical treatment. Once she recovers, she will be held in Juvenile detention.
Tragically, most of the victims were indigenous girls from remote communities near Mahdia. The dorm mother’s 5-year-old son was also among those who lost their lives. Identifying the victims has proved to be a challenging task, as 13 of the remains were burned beyond recognition. In response, Guyana has accepted assistance from the United States and other countries, who have offered the services of forensic experts to aid in DNA identification.
Furthermore, the police are expected to apprehend the older man with whom the student was involved in an illicit relationship. He may face charges of statutory rape. The entire nation is grappling with the shock and sorrow of this devastating incident, as they come to terms with the loss of innocent lives in such a tragic manner.
