A 20-year-old woman has been charged with the brutal murder of 9-year-old Chantel Crump, whose body was discovered in the Weatherills area early Saturday morning.

Angela Mejia was taken into police custody less than 24 hours after the shocking discovery. Authorities say Mejia led law enforcement officers to the location where the child’s body was found, following an extensive search.

The Five Islands Primary student was allegedly abducted on Wednesday afternoon while on her way home from school. Reports indicate that Chantel was taken in a Honda vehicle from Number 2 George Street in Grays Farm. Witnesses recalled her waving to her schoolmates from the car.

Tributes have  been pouring in from all corners of the country and abroad. Government officials including the prime minister, the minister of National Security, the Minister of education, the leader and members of the opposition United Progressive Party have also issued condolence messages.

In a pre-recorded address to the nation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne told residents that his administration will not rest until justice is delivered in full measure to the perpetrators.  “This is not only on behalf of Chantel and her family, but also to safeguard every other child and every other person from anyone in our society who would commit such heinous acts.”

He said his government will “vigorously investigate all who may be involved in crimes of this nature and determine their motivations”.  He also spoke about bolstering the investigative power of the police, enhancing their capacity by providing “cadaver dogs trained to find bodies and to detect DNA traces of those involved in killings”.  “We will stamp out this evil that has befallen our country before it spreads any further,” he stressed.

Churches and organisations are also devastated at the incident. Public outrage has grown rapidly, with residents demanding the reinstatement of the death penalty for such crimes.

Meanwhile, calls for a nationwide alert system for missing children have gained traction. Dr. Jacqui Quinn, head of the Concerned Citizens Group, revealed that the police have agreed to implement the “Chantel Alert,” modeled after the AMBER Alert system used in other countries. This alert will mobilize the nation whenever a child goes missing, using electronic billboards and mobile networks to spread urgent information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJs4tWZ8ngo