Last night we told you about 7-year-old Derricka Castillo who was knocked down on her way from school. But behind that tragedy are other stories: the loss to her classmates and the persistent danger facing children walking home from school. Jacqueline Godwin looked at both situations.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The school chair remains empty where seven-year-old Derricka Castillo used to sit among her standard one classmates at Central Christian Primary school. On Tuesday Derricka Castillo was walking with three school friends on Central American Boulevard when she was knocked down. She died several hours later while undergoing emergency treatment at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
The students told their principal Jermaine Crawford that while they were crossing Derricka fell and that is when the vehicle ran over her.
Jermaine Crawford, Principal - Christian Central School
“But the speed at which the vehicle was coming, it didn’t allow him much time to stop or slow down and unfortunately Derricka was hit.”
Derricka’s torn and bloody uniform including her damaged school bag shows just how traumatic the accident was. In fact reports are that she was dragged some distance before the car stopped. Young Derricka was able to give doctors her name and other particulars before she died. She was also able to talk to her uncle James Castillo.
James Castillo, Uncle of Deceased
“Head injuries because I think her jaw was broken, she had a lot of lacerations on her face, her two feet were broken and before she died, she complained about chest pain and she told her father she wanted to vomit and her father told her to vomit. She vomited blood which came through her nose, through her ears.”
Derrick Castillo, Father of Deceased
“I asked Derricka what happened and she told that Queen saw everything and she can tell me what went on.”
The driver twenty year old Saint John’s College Junior College student Andrew Craig has been charged with driving without due care and attention and
causing death by careless conduct.
Derrick Castillo,
“I noh see him at all. I get to understand that police hold him, he got charged, and he is on bail. So I can’t understand why they would give him bail and my little girl is dead.”
James Castillo,
“I want to see justice for my niece. I need justice for my niece.”
Today the standard one students had regular classes but it has been difficult for the children to do their lessons.
Edna Amu, Homeroom Teacher
“She was very good, she is lovely. Derricka is lovely, she is a loving child, a sweet child. Any time coming to school she is always the first person in school standing by the gate waiting for me. Immediately she would just hug me. When she is going home she gives me a hug.”
Derricka Castillo is not the first student to lose her life in a traffic accident. It is not certain what will be done to make the streets safer for children but all agree that something must be done.
Edna Amu,
“To me God knows why happened. Leave everything for God, God knows why it happened.”
James Castillo,
“Those drivers know that around 7:30 to 8:30, 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, between 3:30 and 4 – those drivers already know that students are coming from school and they shouldn’t be driving recklessly on the road. At those hours, they should be taking their time. They are not on no highway or freeway to be rushing home to go anywhere. It hurts for me to know that my niece is dead. The traffic men need to put up more sleeping policeman or have more traffic officers out there where the children are coming from school and it would be better.”
Jermaine Crawford,
“When the children leave school there is only so much we can do. I know when they come to school and they are in our presence, we don’t allow them to go on the streets, teachers aren’t allowed to send them to buy but when they leave school, we try to talk to them, go straight home, don’t play on the streets, use the pedestrian crossing, sometimes we even assist in dropping students home.”
Another concern for primary schools is that many of the young students are not picked up until well after classes are finished or are left to make their own way home.
Jermaine Crawford,
“We expressed out concerns to the Ministry. I think in the last Principal’s meeting held, these were some of the same concerns – what do we do as principals when our children leave the schools. It is hard for us to know what they are doing or see what they are doing. Motorists need to be more careful. The drivers in this area especially taxi drivers, they need to slow down. Belize is small. There is no where in Belize you will reach extremely late if you drive five or ten miles per hour slower. So we just need to slow down and look at these children and imagine it is one of our own. As a school Derricka was one of our own. As a school Derricka was considered our child and by right justice should be done. Whatever the court decides, whatever the law decides, we have to agree with that.”
Andrew Craig was offered five thousand dollars bail plus one surety of the same amount or two sureties of two thousand five hundred dollars. His mother and sister have expressed condolences to the school and the victim’s family.
Jermaine Crawford,
“At the same time I had to express to them that I understand it is your son, it is your brother but a life has been taken. You can’t just say sorry and nothing comes out of it. She was just sorry that it happened. She was really crying and not taking any sides and not taking up for son but she wanted actually to get the contact number or address for the parents so she could go and personally express her condolences which I really really appreciated.”
Derrick Castillo
“They came to hail me yesterday and they said they would get back to me. But when I call them back on their cell I get voicemail.”
As the family, principal, teachers and friends get ready to say goodbye to Derricka Castillo the school management will do what it can to assist those classmates who have been affected by her death.
Jermaine Castillo,
“We have sought counseling for the class, for the teachers, for the students who were walking along with Derricka that day. There is only so much we can do as a school but we lend any assistance to the family.”
Seven year old Derricka Castillo will be laid to rest on Friday following services at Central Assembly of God. Jacqueline Godwin for 7NEWS.
Derricka’s mother Karla Castillo was unable to speak to 7NEWS. She is nine months pregnant and as a result of her daughter’s death has had difficulties. The driver, Andrew Craig, is scheduled to re-appear in court on April twelfth.
