Update | Kemelia Paul, 13-y-o student injured breaking up fight at home, dies

Thirteen-year-old Excelsior High School student Kemelia Paul has died, one month after she was stabbed while attempting to break up a fight at her home in Harbour View, St Andrew.

Her mother, Josephine Mitchell, confirmed the development to The Gleaner on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking through tears, Mitchell said she had visited her daughter at hospital earlier in the day and was told by doctors that Kemelia had developed an infection. While still at the facility, she later received confirmation that the child had died.

The grieving mother said she was struggling to cope with the loss of her daughter, whose fight for survival had captured the attention of Jamaicans at home and abroad. 

Kemelia had been hospitalised since May 9 after she was stabbed during an incident at the family’s Bayshore Park residence. The attack left the seventh-grade student with severe injuries, and she spent weeks in critical condition, including a period in a coma.

Her case sparked a national outpouring of support after The Gleaner reported on her condition, with members of the public donating blood, providing financial assistance, and helping to source medical supplies for her treatment.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton also reached out to the family during her hospitalisation.

In recent weeks, relatives had expressed cautious optimism after Kemelia emerged from a coma and showed signs of improvement, making news of her death especially devastating for supporters.

The case has also drawn the attention of law-enforcement authorities, who launched a search for the suspect in the attack. 

Police later confirmed that 29-year-old Kemar Mitchell turned himself in and was charged in connection with the incident. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

Kemelia’s death is expected to deeply affect the Excelsior High School community, where counselling support is being arranged for students and staff.

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