School community at Bridgeport primary mourns murder of teacher and her daughter at their home

The gruesome murder of 29-year-old Bridgeport Primary School teacher Tara Pinnock and her 14-year-old daughter, Talia Wright, has sent shockwaves throughout the school community, leaving students and staff in deep mourning.

Their bodies had multiple stabs and their throats slashed.

A sombre atmosphere hung over Friday morning’s devotion at the school as members of the school population struggled to process the tragedy.

Pinnock's daughter was a student at McGrath High School in St Catherine.

Officials from the Ministry of Education and other support personnel visited Bridgeport primary to offer counselling and emotional support to those directly affected.

Stephanie Webb Parker, Senior Education Officer in the Guidance and Counselling Unit, described the mood as overwhelmingly heavy.

"The school would have lost a teacher and her daughter in a very horrific manner, and so the teachers are grieving, the students are grieving, all the members of staff are significantly impacted by this tragedy," she said.

She added that the incident has shaken the entire nation.

Despite the sadness and anger, teams are helping students work through their emotions.

One of the methods used to help students express themselves was through writing and art.

Their drawings and messages reflected anger at the perpetrator, affection for their beloved Grade Five teacher, and pleas for the police to “find the bad person.”

Pinnock and her daughter were discovered dead at their home in Keystone, St Catherine, on Thursday afternoon, after she failed to show up for work on Wednesday.

Principal Lyndon Edwards was visibly devastated.

"I cannot ventilate my feelings right now, I am weak in the knees," he said.

Meanwhile, police say the person of interest, taxi operator Brandon Maine, has still not reported.

He is again being urged to contact the Spanish Town Criminal Investigation Branch or the nearest police station.

- Ruddy Mathison

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