A simmering feud between two teenage schoolboys, marked by repeated clashes, taunts and reports to authorities, erupted in deadly violence on Monday, with both families insisting that the teen’s death could have been prevented had both sides come together earlier to peacefully resolve the dispute.
The Seaforth High School student, Kland Doyle, 13, was fatally stabbed after a dispute that began on the school compound escalated into violence near the Morant Bay Transport Centre. Three students, including a schoolmate accused of inflicting the fatal wound, are in police custody. One of the boys in custody reportedly attends Paul Bogle High.
Relatives on both sides say the warning signs were there but not enough was done by the affected parties in a united manner, with each side blaming the other.
“Dis never need fi happen,” said Juliet, a cousin of the deceased. “A no likkle time police come and talk and a no him one dem trouble, dem use to trouble him cousin.”
According to Doyle’s relatives, the parents of the main perpetrator, particularly the father, were responsible for fuelling the conflict, which they say began after he allegedly spread rumours about the teenager’s sexuality. They said he was not open to finding a peaceful solution.
PARENTS NOT COOPERATIVE
“Him parents dem no cooperative, a war dem a push,” Juliet added. “Every time the police come and warn, but if the police did a come to the parents dem, why it never crash down?”
“Kland no trouble people,” she said, noting that older men in the family had warned him on numerous occasions to avoid conflict. She added that the boy accused of the killing was the best friend of one of her relatives, making the outcome even more shocking.
However, the parents of the main alleged aggressor insisted they were willing to meet with Kland’s family in an effort to resolve the dispute and allow the boys to coexist peacefully, but said their attempts were not met with openness.
When The Gleaner visited the rural community of Castle Hill, Bath in St Thomas, Kland’s grandfather, Nigel Hunter, appeared dazed as he recounted learning of the attack.
“Mi come from the bush and up a deh yard and mi hear somebody call and say they stab up Kland and him gone a hospital… mi never look say a dead business,” he said.
Describing the teen as “an easy-going likkle youth”, Hunter said his grandson had endured persistent bullying, including homophobic taunts.
“Dem always a molest the youth. Some of the time him fraid fi go pon the road… me always tell him fi tek shortcut,” he said.
He believes the conflict started after an adult allegedly spread rumours about Kland that followed him into school. “A de father cause everything pon the youth … . From deh suh it just stick to him,” he added.
Kland’s grandmother, Vinnella Sutherland, said the family had repeatedly sought help from the police as tensions escalated.
“Police come up here all the while. Dem know,” she said, recalling a fight last month involving the same boy, which left Kland injured.
“Anytime dem trouble him, him always retaliate,” she said, adding that ongoing taunts fuelled the hostility. She was told that two boys held Kland while another stabbed him.
“If him did come home early like him mother tell him, it wouldn’t happen… when you know say you two enemies deh deh, why stay?” she said. “It rough… but you have to hold the faith.”
TRAGEDY WAS AVOIDABLE
On the other side, the parents of the accused boy also argue that the tragedy was avoidable.
“From couple years now, just bare antagonising to my kids,” the father said, claiming Kland had previously attacked his son. He admitted sharing information about an incident involving Kland but said he did not intend for it to spread widely.
He said his son told him he had been punched at the school gate on Monday, and he advised him to come home as he planned to go to the police.
The boy’s mother, distraught, said she was devastated.
“Mi feel so bad. Me never want nobody fi dead,” she said, adding that she had once helped Kland by taking him home from school.
She said her son admitted to buying a knife, but denied delivering the fatal stab, maintaining the confrontation stemmed from an ongoing dispute.
Both parents suggested that despite police involvement, there was no sustained joint effort to resolve the conflict.
“If dem did just come together and mek de youth dem see we as parents a live loving,” the father said. “I don’t know what to say. Mi try my best, and mi no fight against nobody nor tell lie on no one. Mi just want him live lovingly and it nah work.”
The mother said she had also tried to intervene but that relations between the families had broken down.
“Me nuh have nothing to say to har because dem deh people hate me with passion … . Me nah apologise because a nuh little try me try wid dem fi stop it,” she said, adding that efforts by police to bring them together had failed.
A former PTA president, Pastor Noel Brown, said the dispute was known within the school community but its deadly outcome was unexpected.
“But to the extent where it woulda reach murder, that never cross my mind,” he said, noting a breakdown in how the conflict was managed.
The Ministry of Education has expressed outrage, deployed counsellors, and called for a stronger response to youth violence.
“All of Jamaica must become anti-violence,” said Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon, describing the incident as heartbreaking.
Meanwhile, Kland’s grandmother said she wants justice.
“Even though that is not enough because mi daughter lose har one child. It rough,” she said.
tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com