Corentyne child found dead, tangled in hammock

Tinesha Johnson
Tinesha Johnson

An 11-year-old Tagore Memorial Secon-dary School student from Number 50 Village, Corentyne, was found dead with a hammock wrapped around her neck on Monday around 9 am.

Dead is Tinesha Johnson, 11, of Number 50 Village, Corentyne.

The girl’s mother, Latoya Lavric, also known as ‘Toya’, 35, told investigators that her four children were at home while she headed out onto the road to purchase fish from a passing van.

One of her children later informed her that something seemed wrong with Tinesha as they observed blood running from her nostrils.

The hammock

Lavric immediately rushed home where she discovered her daughter lying motionless under a hammock which was tied under a fruit tree at the back of the yard. Blood was seen oozing from her nostrils.

Tinesha was picked up and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Her father, Clinton Johnson, 37, relayed that he was at work in the backdam when he was informed of the incident.

The man was still in a state of shock yesterday as he noted that the family is still trying to come to terms with the death of the young girl.

He explained, that his wife told him that while she was on the road she sent her eldest daughter home for $5,000 to purchase the fish. However, her daughter alerted her that Tinesha was tangled in the hammock with blood running from her nose. He said his wife immediately rushed in and attempted to untangle the child.

According to Johnson, the hammock was torn in the middle and that the children would often play in the area with no incidents in the past. 

Tinesha’s body is at the hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Her father described her as a content and helpful child.