WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland — As the search continued Tuesday for 11-year-old Desroy Smith Jr, a hearing-impaired boy washed away by flood waters Monday afternoon, news emerged that at least one other student narrowly missed being swept out to sea as well.

According to a vendor who said she witnessed the incident, the New Hope Primary School students ignored the security guard’s warnings and left the school compound during a slight easing of the rain. The woman, who did not provide her name, said Desroy fell as he attempted to skip the water on the road and as other students tried to help him up, he pulled a girl into the water with him. She said an ice-cream vendor went to the children’s rescue.

“When the bell ring the rain was pouring hard; the children were there standing. When the rain kinda clear mi see some children a run through di gate and mi say, ‘Weh oonuh a go?’ The security say, ‘Come back’. One a dem come back and the others run out and the rain start fall hard again, so they stopped at the shop trying to cover,” she explained.

“He was trying to skip the water, him and some pickney, and him drop. The children were trying to help him but they couldn’t help him, so ended up hauling a little girl with him. The ice-cream man hear when dem a bawl fi help.”

She said the vendor tried to save both students. He grabbed the girl and took her to safety but was unable to save Desroy.

The tragedy has sparked outrage in the community, with questions being raised about security procedures at the school.

Vendors and residents noted that during heavy rains, the road becomes indistinguishable from the drain due to the rapid rise in water levels — sometimes as high as four feet — making the area extremely dangerous.

“You can’t see the drain when the rain fall heavy like yesterday,” one vendor explained. “The water come up to my waist. Every water off the hill come this way and run off into the sea. You can’t tell the road different from the drain.”

Desroy’s mother, Opal Greenfield, is heartbroken and angry.

She said the school had a responsibility to watch the students.

She said up to Tuesday afternoon neither the security forces nor the school administration had provided her with an update about the search.

A cloud of distress hung over the coastal community as they awaited word. Personnel dispatched to the school by the education ministry facilitated grief and trauma counselling sessions for students, teachers, and the boy’s relatives.

Members of the church community also played their part in offering comfort. Several congregants visited the boy’s mother and held prayer sessions with her throughout the day.

His father, Desroy Smith Sr, was noticeably absent, unable to participate in the search as he had done on Monday. According to a family friend the distraught dad, who lost an older son in September 2024, was emotionally overwhelmed.

From as early as 7:00 am Tuesday the Police Marine Division and divers combed coastal waters, offering some comfort to the grieving community. However, several locals insisted Jamaica Defence Force air support was crucial.

“A nuff boat gone out a sea gone look fi him from morning, but no sign of a helicopter,” one resident told the Observer, his voice heavy with disappointment.

“The water clear this morning, the ’copter woulda see him already,” said another man who gave his name as Mark. He said he is from Gordon District where Desroy lived.

“Boat alone can’t find him,” he opined.

By 4:00 pm Tuesday as the rain began pouring again, with no trace of the missing boy, the emotional toll was evident as residents grappled with grief and frustration.