An abandoned house, allegedly used as a sex and drug den by schoolchildren, became the scene of a near fatal shooting yesterday after a Marabella South Secondary schoolgirl, 17, was shot in the chest. She underwent emergency surgery at the San Fernando General Hospital after she was shot in the upper right chest.
Following the incident, however, residents of San Fernando Street, San Fernando, pleaded with the San Fernando City Corporation to demolish the antique house, at #61, which they referred to as “The Mansion”. They said it was frequented by schoolchildren who went there to have sex and used drugs, adding a man was recently charged for having sex with a schoolgirl there.
According to an eyewitness, the girl was seen entering the house with a schoolboy wearing a uniform shortly after 4 pm. Minutes later, a gunshot was heard, followed by screams for help.
A party of officers, including Insp Don Gajadhar, Sgt Dale Ramroop, Cpl Marlon Mendoza along with the Southern Division Task Force and Crime Scene Unit, went to the house and found mattresses in each of the three bedrooms. In the front room, they found a sheet and used condoms. Entry to the house was through a side door.
One resident said: “A schoolgirl from Marabella South and a boy from Servol entered the abandoned house on San Fernando Street. Shortly after we heard a loud shot and she ran out, covered in blood and screaming that she was shot.
“She was stopping cars, asking people for help. A car eventually stopped, the passengers came out and she jumped in and was taken to hospital. The boy ran away, we didn’t get to see him. All we saw was that he was wearing a Servol uniform.”
She said the house was frequented by schoolchildren, causing residents to make numerous complaints to police for the last two years. She said no one took care of the property since the owners had gone abroad and overgrown bushes on the property made it a good hideout.
“We did not make complaints to the corporation, we made complaints to the police because school children gather there every single day. The house was the subject of a statutory rape early this year, where the girl went willingly. Some children go in uniforms and some without but they are young people.”
Visiting the scene yesterday, San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein said the corporation had written to the owner but got no response. He said the matter was before the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court and was expected to come up for hearing tomorrow.
“These things are causing prostitution, drugs, abuse and homeless people to live there. Eighty-seven abandoned properties we have before the court and we want to send a message to these errant owners,” Hosein said. Sgt Samaroo is continuing investigations.