The cries of a grieving mother filled a section of Rocky Point, Clarendon, on Monday as relatives and neighbours gathered to comfort a family shattered by the sudden death of five-year-old Rackeema Williams.
Fighting through tears, the child’s mother described her daughter as the light of her life, a bubbly little girl whose presence could brighten even the darkest day. “Rack Rack is everybody person,” she said in anguish to TVJ News. “If you nuh laugh from morning and she come around, [she] will tell you something fi mek you laugh.”
Her voice breaking, she pleaded for prayers and support, saying she could not understand how such a tragedy had found her household. “Mi love mi baby dearly to mi heart,” she cried. “I ask the nation, worldwide, to help me… to get the death angel from over my family.”
The child’s death on Sunday evening has left the community stunned. Reports say the five-year-old had been playing in the yard with a football sometime after 6 p.m. when she reportedly fell into a manhole on the property and allegedly drowned. The opening, which is usually covered by a stone, is believed to have been left exposed or disturbed.
Her mother began searching when they realised she was missing. During the search, her mother noticed that the stone covering the manhole had been moved. On checking the opening, she discovered her daughter inside the water-filled pit. The child was removed and rushed to the hospital, where medical personnel pronounced her dead. An investigation has since been launched by the police in Clarendon.
Following the incident, Rackeema’s absence was also felt at the Galilee Basic School, where she attended. Teachers and classmates were struggling to cope with the loss on Monday morning.
Henrisha Porter, her teacher, described the atmosphere as heavy and sorrowful. “It’s very gloomy, as one can expect,” she told TVJ News. “We’re just trying to hold up and encourage each other.”
Porter noted that throughout the day, students would suddenly begin speaking about their classmates, recalling small memories and moments they shared. Her classmates and friends made a tribute to Rackeema, adorning her now-empty desk with handwritten letters and drawings.
The teacher remembered the five-year-old as bright and eager to help. She said Rackeema enjoyed participating in lessons, particularly hands-on activities, and often spoke proudly about her father. Beyond academics, she was known for her willingness to assist teachers with simple tasks.
“She was very helpful,” Porter shared. “Sometimes she would even go over to another class to help tidy up.”
