MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A heavy pall of gloom hung over Yabnel International Preparatory and Care Centre on Wednesday, a day after the fatal shooting of four-year-old Gia Griniell at her family home in Ingleside here.

The desk that Gia once occupied, still bearing her name, was filled with test papers with full marks, while a photograph of her surrounded by the words “Miss you” and sombre music at the entrance of the school expressed the sadness as grief-stricken teachers, administrators, and parents mourned the death of the child who was described as an outstanding student.

“I loved Gia, she was dear to our hearts and it is still unreal for me. I still can’t imagine that she is not here with us. This morning when I reached out and I heard that she was removed to the morgue, I understood that she was really gone. This is going to take a long time to recover from. She was a sweetheart. Any room that she walked into she changed the atmosphere. She was just the light in any space that she entered,” the school’s Principal Deidria Watt-Christie told journalists on Wednesday.

Police said Gia died from a gunshot wound to her head sustained at Ingleside Boulevard on Tuesday night. A police report said about 10:00 pm, the child, her 12-year-old sibling and the children’s mother were at home when the shooting happened.

According to the police report, the mother told detectives that she put both children to bed and went to use the restroom when she heard a loud explosion. The mother’s licensed firearm was reportedly left in her handbag.

The gun is to be tested to determine whether the deadly bullet came from the weapon.

“Her [mother’s] firearm was found on the ground by the police,” a senior police source said.

Principal Watt-Christie said the incident was very unfortunate as she recalled Gia’s active participation in sports day on Monday.

“This was totally unexpected. We had a beautiful time with Gia on sports day two days ago and every time we see her she is just really a beam of light. A dynamic person and this is really unfortunate,” said Watt-Christie.

The Ministry of Education provided counselling to the school on Wednesday.

“They visited us this morning and we had our devotion with our chairman. We are just trying to love each other. Give the family whatever support is necessary during this time and just pray, because this is just really a hard, difficult situation,” said Watt-Christie.

She said Gia was doing exceptionally well at school.

“She was very intelligent. She was reading very well at four. Her cognitive skills were very developed for her age and she had two parents who I believed loved and cared for her the best they could. This is an unfortunate situation, but we continue to keep them in our prayers,” said the school leader.

Police on Wednesday said the Child Protection and Family Services Agency spoke with the child’s mother while the 12-year-old sibling was to be counselled.

The police said a review of the case will be done following the completion of statements being recorded to determine whether charges will be laid.

“Some reconstruction of the scene was done by experts from the forensics laboratory in Kingston, so based on all those findings we will determine the way forward,” the police source said.

Meanwhile, parents who arrived at Yabnel to get their children on Wednesday afternoon cried openly, with some having to be consoled.

“They were weeping. They were crying and it was heartfelt. We will continue to remember her for who she was. She was very audacious and vibrant and we want to replace what really happened with those memories,” said Watt-Christie.

Stacy-Ann Griffiths, head of the school’s kindergarten department, said the staff was distraught over Gia’s death.

“We are sad. We did not expect this. We are really trying to cope here at Yabnel [after losing] such a vibrant, smart, intelligent girl,” she said.

“When I came in this morning I realised something strange was happening… When I heard the news I could not even stand. I sat on a chair for like one hour before going over to my class. I taught Gia two to three years ago and I am telling you, it is not easy. We have been praying and we have been getting encouragement from counsellors and we try to encourage each other,” she added.

Ronji Myers, the school’s dean and grade six teacher, said even auxiliary staff are mourning the child’s death.

“The whole school is feeling it. Even the security staff were crying. Just imagine that the security could feel that connection and that pain. We can’t begin to fathom the pain that the parents are feeling right now,” he said.

“Students are not taking it easy. A particular child in my class broke down this morning. He was saying ‘not Gia’ when I had to give them the news, so it was really hard. There are no words, it is really a tragedy,” he added.

A photo of four-year-old Gia Griniell who was shot dead at her home in Ingleside, Mandeville, on Tuesday night.

Police cordon at the scene on Ingleside Boulevard in Mandeville, where four-year-old Gia Griniell was reportedly shot.

Karon Jarrett, Gia Griniell’s K1 teacher, grieves while looking at a photograph of the four-year-old on Wednesday. Photo: Kasey Williams

Yabnel International Preparatory and Care Centre Principal Deidria Watt-Christie (left) speaking to journalists on Wednesday. At right is Karon Jarrett, who taught four-year-old Gia Griniell, the four-year-old student who was fatally shot at her home Tuesday night.

Teachers and administrators console each other at Yabnel International Preparatory and Care Centre on Wednesday, a day after four-year-old student Gia Griniell died at her home in a shooting incident. Photo: Kasey Williams