The grieving grandmother of nine-year-old Amoya Moore has publicly voiced her frustration and pain more than a week after the child was killed by a garbage truck. The tragedy occurred in Bonitto Heights, Mandeville, on December 9, when the child was heading to school. Since then, the grandmother says no one from the authorities or the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has reached out to the family.
In an emotional appeal, the grandmother said that while support came from relatives, friends, and members of the community, those in official positions have remained absent. She shared that the councillor for South Manchester visited the family, and teachers from Villa Road Primary School went to Amoya’s mother’s home to offer comfort. Beyond that, she said, there has been silence from government representatives and from NSWMA.
“It is very sad,” she said, expressing disbelief that no one from the relevant agencies had contacted the family. According to her, the family has been left to face the aftermath alone, including the responsibility of burying the child, without guidance or assistance from those she believes should be involved.
She indicated that the incident occurred due to the carelessness of the garbage truck. She said Amoya was walking to school when she stopped along the side of the road, allowing the truck to freely drive by. However, the truck struck her and dragged her body for a few miles.
According to preliminary reports, the little girl was killed in the morning when the truck was collecting waste in the area. The truck approached the fourth-grade student around 7 a.m. when she was walking a short distance from her home. While she was heading downhill, the truck hit her, and her body was dragged underneath until the truck stopped. The compactor truck assigned to SPM Waste Management Limited was later seized by the police.
While NSWMA later issued a statement offering condolences and describing the incident as saddening, Amoya’s grandmother said the family has not been directly contacted. She is calling for justice and meaningful support, stressing that the loss of a child should not be met with silence.
“We need justice,” she said repeatedly, emphasising that the family cannot grieve on its own.
