Marsha and Ernest Crump held up through one of the most difficult days of their lives today, having to bury their youngest daughter following tragic circumstances.

The parents of 9-year-old Chantel Crump were visibly shaken as a small pink coffin was wheeled into the Anglican Cathedral in St John’s and then to the St. John’s Public Cemetery for burial.

A day before on Monday June 9, her father was finalizing preparations for Chantel’s burial  which was meant to be Chantel’s 10th birthday. Instead, Ernest spent the day at her gravesite, applying the finishing touches of her tomb.

Chantel’s mother Marsha Crump tears up during the burial of her daughter (photo by Wayne Mariette)

At the funeral, Chantel’s aunt Jane Benjamin delivered a touching eulogy saying, “She was a daddy’s girl for sure.” “She was kind,  helpful, and a thoughtful young lady.”

“When her father came from work,  it was customary for her to take his bag,  work shoes,  offer him something to drink,  and bring his favorite hot meal.  She hugged and kissed her father every day  before and after work.  Daddy, have a good day today. Love you.,” she added – a memory that her father speaks fondly of himself.

Her father often called her the “live spark” of their home — a joyful soul now painfully missed.

Among those in attendance were Chantel’s classmates and teachers from the Five Islands Primary School, along with Director of Education Clare Browne, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, ABLP caretaker Senator Michael Joseph, and other government officials — all offering their condolences and standing in solidarity with the grieving family.

The bubbly 9-year-old vanished on March 12, 2025, less than a minute from her Grays Farm home. She was last seen inside a vehicle near her neighbourhood. A massive three-day search ended in heartbreak when her naked body was found on March 15 at the old Weatherills plantation.

Area now grazed where Chantel Crump’s body was found on March 15, 2025 (IPB photo) Ernest Crump looks on recalling where his daughter’s body was found (IPB photo)

Her post-mortem was inconclusive. Acting Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers said further forensic samples were collected and had been prepared to be sent overseas for “advanced toxicology and laboratorial tests.”

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Angela Mejia is awaiting trial, having been arrested and charged with Chantel’s murder. She remains on remand in a secured unit at His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) and appeared in court last week, still without legal representation.

Many have called for the return of the death penalty, saying a 30-year life sentence is not enough for killing an innocent child. In response, and to help prevent another tragedy, police — at the urging of the Concerned Citizens Group — are expected to launch a ‘Chantel Alert’ system, Antigua and Barbuda’s version of the AMBER Alert.