Achazia James, 15, found brutally murdered with severed hand in Antigua

The citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are in severe shock after a 15-year-old girl was found brutally murdered on Sunday at Runaway Beach. The victim has been identified as Achazia James, a student at Princess Margeret Secondary School and a resident of Upper Fort Road.

The victim was reportedly last seen alive around 3 am on Sunday and was pronounced dead at 8:53 am by Emergency Medical Services personnel.

The body of the female was found on the beach with multiple chop wounds and her hand severed at the wrist. The tragic incident has left the country distraught and marks the 10th murder in Antigua since the beginning of 2024.

According to the information, James was found by two beachgoers who immediately called the police and reported the matter.

Upon reaching the crime scene, the officers led preliminary investigations and found various chop wounds on the victim’s body while one of her hands was completely severed.

It was reported that the area had clear signs of a violent attack, and part of the victim’s ear was also mutilated. The investigations also revealed that the victim was attacked with a sharp instrument such as a machete or cutlass.

Police officials have launched a high-level investigation in the wake of the gruesome discovery. They are also urging anyone with information that could assist in their investigation to come forward and contact the Criminal Investigations Department.

It is being said that the citizens of Antigua are also feeling horrified by the increasing violence and murders, which is leaving the community in deep shock and fear.

Notably, the teenager was very active on social media and frequently posted her pictures on Facebook. Her recent status, ‘He said he likes seeing me in white,’ also hinted at being in a romantic relationship, which suggests that her murder might be connected to this. 

Some people are also speculating that she may have been involved with someone significantly older who could have committed this heinous crime. 

On the other hand, the whole country is crying over the death of the 15-year-old, with several of them taking to Facebook and urging the authorities to conduct thorough investigations.

“What could this child have done to get this type of outcome? All her friends, family, ex, and present boyfriends should be questioned. Who was she last seen with? Where is her phone? Do our telecommunications companies provide any type of support in these situations?” wrote a user named Ashley.

Another user named Audley Phillip remarked, “Crime seems to be spiraling out of control. Maybe it's time to inject some new life into the National Security Ministry. They seem to be running out of ideas.”