I News Guyana Reports | A 13-year-old student from Zeeburg Secondary School, Jarron Williams, is hospitalized in serious condition following a brutal assault by two young men on Monday afternoon. The incident occurred shortly after Williams disembarked from a bus while on his way to play football.
In an interview, Jarron’s mother, Delana Nandan, recounted that her son was in good health before he left home that afternoon. On the bus, he encountered two boys, aged 19 and 18, who began provoking him. Despite Jarron’s attempts to defuse the situation by identifying himself as the brother of a mutual acquaintance, the confrontation escalated.
Nandan described how one of the assailants struck Jarron in the head while still inside the bus, prompting the driver to stop and eject all passengers. “Once outside, they attacked my son,” she said, explaining that he was severely beaten with a piece of wood, a rock, and potentially a knife or ice pick. The police later recovered a metal part of a shovel believed to be used in the assault.
Bystanders intervened, calling for help, and the police took Jarron to the hospital, where he was found to have suffered three skull fractures. He remained unconscious for three days and experienced recurring seizures, necessitating sedation. Fortunately, he has since awakened and can now communicate, although he remains in critical condition.
The police, having conducted their investigations, arrested the two suspects, who were charged with attempted murder. The first, 19-year-old Oswin Kenard Baker Jr., appeared in court on Thursday and was remanded in custody. His co-accused, 18-year-old Nicholas Thompson, faced similar charges on Friday.
The incident has raised alarm within the community, particularly as allegations surfaced linking Baker to a separate assault that day involving another child. Parents expressed their concerns on social media, highlighting a disturbing trend of youth violence.
Nandan voiced her distress over the situation, calling for urgent action to address rising incidents of aggression among youth. “It’s getting out of hand… Only God knows what could have happened if my son hadn’t been saved,” she stated.
In response to these concerns, President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education Sonia Parag have spoken out against increasing gang activity and violence in schools. During a recent conference, President Ali labeled youth crime and violence as national emergencies, necessitating immediate attention. Meanwhile, Minister Parag reaffirmed the government’s stance against gang-related behavior in educational institutions, emphasizing the need for safe and secure learning environments for all students.
Investigations into the assault on Jarron Williams are still ongoing.
