Police confirm death of missing Grenada schoolgirl

Last updated: November 14, 2017 at 17:30 pm

The body of a Grenada schoolgirl has been discovered, less than 24 hours after she was went missing.

Ariel Bolah, of Frequente, St George, was last seen on her way home from school on Friday.

The nine-year-old’s body was discovered the next morning at around 11am in a wooded area not far from her home, the Royal Grenada Police Force said.

In a statement, the Minister for Social Services Delma Thomas said: “The death of little Ariel Bhola, alien to our values and who we are as a people, affects us all.

“We shall not – and must not – remain numb nor silent in the face of unspeakable evil.

“And while the government is set to budget even more again for child protection in the coming period; and while stronger legislation has been drafted to take tougher stances against abusers, we are afraid that this won’t be enough until our collective consciences are shaken, and we as a people find the resolve to take back our communities.”

Officials and counsellors from the Ministry of Social Services have been in touch with the family, the New National Party statement added.

Thomas has described her conversation with family members as “one of the most difficult conversations any human being could have, where words are never enough.”

Vincent Roberts, chairman of the National Democratic Congress party, urged society to be proactive in addressing issues of child abuse.

“We have to come together as a nation, as a society and address this problem,” he said.