Mother of murdered boy criticises police response

The mother of murdered boy, Shaquan Gittens, yesterday expressed disgust at the response of the North Ruimveldt Police outpost to her pleas to help find him.

Gittens’ body was found on Saturday afternoon and the killing has sent shock waves across the North Ruimveldt community.

Gittens of 2950 Well Road, North Ruimveldt went missing last Wednesday and his body was found Saturday half naked and bound in a trench running alongside a dam just off of Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt.

Shaquan Gittens
Shaquan Gittens

The boy was clad only in the t-shirt he was last seen in and his hands were tied together with rope when his body was discovered. From all indications, he was the victim of a sexual assault prior to his death.

Doysha Gittens, mother of the dead child, said her son was a very loving child and is still wondering what happened to him.

Doysha related to this newspaper that her son would have been celebrating his 10th birthday this month but instead of throwing him a party she has to arrange a funeral. She also noted that she had only buried her father, last year during this same period.

“He is dead but it’s hard to just live with just memories of him”, said the mother. She added that she was not just a mother to her son but was also his teacher in school and can’t imagine how she will turn out to work again knowing that she has to watch the same spot he sat every day in class and pass his name whenever she marks the class register.

The woman told Stabroek News that her son left home to fly his kite last Wednesday. However, the kite he left with was found at the home indicating that he had returned and left again. No one has reported seeing him leave again.

Doysha said last Wednesday after returning from work she called out for her sons but only received an answer from the elder one. It was then that she discovered that Shaquan had not returned home since and went searching. “I search everywhere when I found out we can’t find he, from where he went playing football, to a trampoline he does normally be playing on, a game shop he visits in the village and all around the village but nothing”, said the mother with tears in her eyes.

She criticised the police at the North Ruimveldt Police outpost over their response to the report of the missing boy.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be performed tomorrow.