Mother of student, 15, beaten outside Holy Faith: Girls fighting for 'likes'

The mother of a 15-year-old form four student at Holy Faith Convent in Couva says her daughter was wrongfully targeted and attacked just outside the school gates on June 10, caught in the crossfire of a "social media beef" the alleged attackers had with another student.

In a now viral video on social media, five girls are seen beating on the 15-year-old girl at the gates of the school compound.

They then dragged her into the road, where they continue their assault for another 15 seconds.

The fight was broken up by a male passerby. The five girls are then seen running away.

Newsday contacted the 15-year-old's mother by telephone on June 10.

She spoke on the condition on anonymity and further explained the situation.

The mother said the incident occurred just around 3 pm, while her daughter was waiting to be picked up by her for dance practice.

She claimed that the girls involved in the attack were students from nearby schools in Couva.

She said they often limed near a Chinese restaurant close to Holy Faith Convent and were known for frequently getting into fights with others.

"Some other girl who is not even friends with my daughter, like she had a run-in with some of them over social media posts and they came looking for her.

"When they could not get her, my daughter was standing there innocently and they dragged her out."

The mother said her daughter suffered injuries to her face (swollen and blue-black eyes), head and cuts on her knees.

"They beat her really bad. She has to go to the San Fernando General Hospital for X-rays and ultrasounds."

The mother said the children of today were fighting for "social media likes."

"They want to be movie stars and this is what it is. One of the girls, after the fight she put up a big Instagram post. The video of them beating up my daughter is just sharing on WhatsApp groups, Instagram and Facebook and they are boasting about it for the likes."

Newsday obtained the Instagram video being referred to which suggested the 15-year-old was indeed not the intended target.

The mother said she had shared the video with the police to help with their investigations.

ACP Mystar: Arrests imminent

A statement from Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for South/Central Wayne Mystar on June 10 said the police strongly condemned the attack.

"We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards violence in and around educational institutions. No student should ever feel unsafe in their place of learning.

"This was not a random altercation, it was a co-ordinated act of violence carried out on school grounds. The safety of our children is non-negotiable, and those responsible will be held accountable. Arrests will be made."

Up to publication time, no arrests had been made, but according to Mystar, they were "imminent."

He urged eyewitnesses to come forward with information that would lead to the suspects arrest.

Mystar said all stakeholders were being targeted to ensure continued school safety.

"The police are working closely with school officials, the Ministry of Education, and community stakeholders to ensure continued safety and security on school premises.

"Increased patrols and security assessments will be conducted in and around secondary schools in the region."

Newsday also contacted Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath who confirmed the ministry had launched its own investigation into the incident.

This marks the second school-related fight to occur in or near a school within the past week.

On June 3, a female student was hospitalised following a fight at South East Port of Spain Secondary School (SEPOS).

That student suffered a fractured nose, broken tooth, blood clots in her eyes, and other injuries as a result of the attack. The alleged attackers were suspended from the school.

During a post-cabinet media briefing on June 5, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said children who assaulted or delivered beatings to others in school would be expelled, face criminal charges and be forced to enrol in the Military-Led Academic Training (Milat) programme.

Persad-Bissessar said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to school fights.

"Going forward we will treat every occurrence of assault or beating as an expellable offence in schools and an arrestable offence to be put before the courts."

She said children must not be allowed to get away with criminal acts because it took place in a school.

"If someone is 15 years old and robs you, or assaults you, or extorts you, they are arrested. However if they do the same thing in a school uniform they are getting a free pass.

"It doesn’t make sense that a school uniform is a licence to break the law. This must stop!"

On June 10, Dowlath told Newsday during his visit to SEPOS on June 6, he spoke to the Homeland Security Minister (Roger Alexander) who said a team would be formed "look at the schools where these incidents present themselves."

"We are taking this very seriously and we are doing it very systematically."

Chairman of the Holy Faith Sisters Anne Gomes-Phillip said they, too, were aware of the situation and had put the necessary steps to deal with it.

"Both the principal and vice-principal are doing what is required of them. They will do a report and ensure the students are safe and will make a report to ministry officials."

Asked if they would increase the security outside the school, Gomes-Phillip said, "The police station is just across from the school. Everything is being examined carefully and things will be put in place."

The mother of the 15-year-old girl urged parents to get their children involved in extra-curricular activities.

"My daughter is a dancer. After school she has activities. I don't spare any effort to ensure she is always in activities.

"There are a lot of free things in school and in the community. Parents need to get involved and stop letting them be out there fighting and carrying on."

She called for "change" in order to get the school violence situation under control.