Covent Garden youths charged with murder of teen

Two prime suspects in the fatal stabbing of Covent Garden teen Brian Charles Yearwood were on Monday morning hauled before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a joint charge of murder.
The charge stated that Shannon Cox, 20, and Andy Damel Peters, 17, unlawfully murdered the 16-year -old on April 29, 2017 at Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Guyana Times had previously reported that Yearwood was fatally stabbed in the chest, in the compound of the Covent Garden Nursery School during a concert hosted by the school.
His grieving mother related that at the time of the incident, her son was sitting on a bench with a few others when a group of older boys started to tease them. She said the boys with whom Brian was sitting subsequently got up and moved away, but he remained.
The perpetrators upon seeing him alone approached him and began mocking him and allegedly attacking him with bottles, after which the teen ran seeking protection in the direction of some teachers. Yearwood was followed and stabbed in the presence of the teachers. One of the suspects reportedly plunging the knife into his chest and pulling it out. The injured boy began to run, and collapsed only a short distance away.
Initial Police reports had disclosed that a policeman in the area immediately responded to the incident, and with the assistance of other persons, rushed Yearwood to the Diamond hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Investigators later arrested the two suspects, and the murder weapon was reportedly recovered at the home of one of the individuals. Yearwood was a former Central High School student, who only transferred to the Covent Garden Secondary September last.
The unrepresented pair were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were ordered to undergo counselling by a Probation Officer. They are expected to make their next court appearance on May 22, 2017 and will remain incarcerated until then.