WESTERN BUREAU:

The family of 11-year-old Samantha Yates, who was found hanging from a tree on Saturday, suspects that the youngster was driven to her death by depression and feelings of neglect.

The girl's body was discovered about 3:00 p.m. by her grandfather's wife, hanging from a shoelace tied to a mango tree. Reports are that the child, who had been living with her paternal grandparents, had been showing signs of depression after expressing that she had not seen her father in a long while and felt neglected by her mother who recently completed arrangements for the other siblings to live abroad with her.

The incident has plunged residents of the usually quiet community of Haughton Grove, Hanover, and the nearby Mount Ward Primary School, where she attended school, into mourning.

Principal of the school, Orson Beckford, told The Gleaner that Yates' death came as a shock as she was one of the most jovial, helpful and vibrant students at the school.

"I was told that she would give trouble typical of every child that age, but we did not notice anything out of the way over the past weeks that would cause this, so this really came as a shock to us," Beckford said.

This has forced the school to seek counselling for its students who have been shaken by the death.

"I have got in touch with the education officer and the trauma response team has been informed and they have indicated that they would be at the school first thing Monday morning to provide counselling for the teachers and students," the principal added.

- T.M.