11-Year-Old Student Swept Away by Floodwaters in Whitehouse — Search and Rescue Continues

WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland — The seaside community of Whitehouse is reeling from heartbreak after 11-year-old Desroy Smith Jr, a Grade 5 student of New Hope Primary & Junior School, was swept away by floodwaters on Monday afternoon.

The tragic incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. during heavy rainfall when Desroy attempted to cross a flooded drain near the school. According to reports, the boy slipped and fell into the swift-moving water, which empties directly into the Caribbean Sea. Attempts by classmates and a nearby ice cream vendor to rescue him were unsuccessful.

Emergency teams were on the scene quickly. The Westmoreland Fire Department, led by Acting Superintendent Asif Burgess, responded with a truck and crew, prepared to conduct CPR and land-based rescue operations. Meanwhile, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Air Wing dispatched a helicopter for an aerial sea search.

“We got here about 4:45 p.m.,” said Burgess. “A pumper had already arrived, and I took charge at 5:00. The coast guard came around 6:00 p.m., but the search was suspended at 7:00 p.m. due to low visibility.”

The incident has devastated the community. A resident, who asked not to be named, revealed that Desroy’s father, Desroy Smith Sr, had lost another son just last September in a diving accident.

“This a guh hard fi him,” she said. “Mi hear say him out pon di sea right now helping wid di search.”

A teacher from the school expressed sorrow, stating,

“I’m trembling as I speak. They should have been inside, but they tried to leave through a hole in the fence. We’re heartbroken and hoping for the best.”

Concerns have since emerged over school security, as the main gate was reportedly locked, prompting students to exit through a breach in the fence. A witness recounted that the boy was warned by a female student but went ahead and attempted to cross the drain.

“The force weh di water a come down wid drag him off the side and a suh him wash weh,” the eyewitness stated. “A nuh nobody fault.”

Councillor Michael Jackson called the tragedy a devastating blow to the tight-knit community.

“Words can’t describe the grief. The whole community deh pon the beach, and everybody chipping in to help.”

Desroy’s mother and sister were rushed for medical attention after experiencing shock and distress. The family had just laid another relative to rest less than two weeks ago.

Despite the overwhelming sorrow, the fishing village rallied, with residents arming themselves with flashlights, ropes, and snorkels, diving into the turbulent waters in a desperate search for the boy.

Continued rainfall in the region has complicated rescue efforts, with the flooded drain flowing directly into the sea and extending the search area significantly.

Search and rescue operations are set to resume Tuesday morning.