Teenager crushed under music truck during J’Ouvert

As the results of carnival competitions were being released on Wednesday, the family of 17-year-old Camilla Trimmingham waited for the release of her body from the Kingstown mortuary, to make final arrangements for her funeral.{{more}}

Camilla’s parents, cousins, siblings, aunts and friends gathered at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, awaiting the autopsy results for the teen, who was crushed by the wheels of a truck during J’Ouvert activities Monday morning.

Bruniel Baptiste, the deceased’s cousin, who was with her at the time of the tragedy, told SEARCHLIGHT that they were in the J’Ouvert band with friends, when Camilla said she wanted to leave.

As the group reached Bay Street, in the vicinity of the cenotaph, tragedy struck.

“We weren’t feeling the spirit. We were walking because she was saying that she didn’t like the band, so we were looking to leave the band,” Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT.

“At the same time, ‘Bomb ah Drop’ start playing, and the crowd was hyping.

“She was behind me and when the music stop, I turned around and I saw her under the truck, and the truck roll up to her neck, and everybody was crying for the truck to stop.

“I didn’t see how she manage to fall,” Baptiste said.

Another individual, who was a short distance from Trimmingham, told SEARCHLIGHT that the DJ stopped the music and had asked individuals at the front and side of the vehicle to move, and as persons were doing so, the music resumed, causing the crowd to go into a frenzy.

“When the music start to play, the crowd started to get on wild, and the crowd push,” said the young lady, who wished not to be identified.

“When I see the music stop and the crowd stop and everybody start coming round, I just say to myself I wonder who they mash dey.”

Trimmingham was then rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

A hospital source told SEARCHLIGHT that when the teenager arrived at 6:30 a.m., she was already dead.

According to a police release, shortly after 6 a.m., Trimmingham was pinned under the rear wheels of the truck TK 721, owned and driven by Desmond Llewellyn.

Camilla’s father Curlan Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT that like most other family members, he was hurt by his firstborn’s death, and was trying to be strong for other family members.

“She was with me from a baby. We had a good relationship. I wouldn’t really feel it till I reach home and realize that my daughter is not around….”

Camilla’s mother, too hoarse and traumatized to talk, was consoled by other family members, who described the student of the St Clair Dacon Secondary School as a jovial person, who was fun to be around.

“She always used to be smiling and giving jokes and them kind of things,” sister Phillicia said.

“She was a loving person and never depressed, it was really hard when we heard that,” her aunt, Ronella added.

Camilla’s relatives used to opportunity to dispel rumours that she was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

The post mortem revealed that Trimmingham died as a result of multiple trauma.