Residents praise Goldsmith Villa heroes

The search for nine-year-old Kyle Richards has ended. The search party led by residents of the Goldsmith Villa community, found Kyle's body in a river that flows through the Harbour View community.

Kyle, who lives in Goldsmith Villa, St Andrew, was on his way home from school when he reportedly fell in a drain and was swept away by raging waters. Community members alongside the August Town police and members of the Jamaica Defence Force had been searching several sites since Wednesday without success.

Among the searchers was Anmarika Matthews, who the men say had been there from day one. They praised her for her efforts in never giving up on getting the digging done. "It was difficult but me never did a go stop because it could have been my niece or my child. I had to swim through water, jump over stone all these things but all I was focused on finding the little boy," she said.

One of the lead community searchers, Edval Matthews, told THE STAR that persons from every section of the community joined together to search for Kyle. The search, which started 8 a.m. yesterday, ended at minutes to 11 when they found his body. Edval said that they were never going to give up as they wanted family members to have closure. He added that the area where the body was found had a foul scent emanating from it since Saturday, but that divers were unable to properly conduct searches because of the high water level.

With the search now behind them, residents are heaping praises on all those who helped to bring closure to Kyle's family.

"It was a teamwork and wi give thanks for the team. We give thanks for the relentless pursuit of councillor Venesha Phillips, because she decided that we would not give up until we find him. Throughout the search, wi keep contact with the police fi mek them know wah gwan. The inspector from the August Town Police Station, we must commend them because them down inna the water with us a search too," Nicholas Myers, another searcher said. Family members of Kyle Richards, the nine-year-old boy who was washed away by floodwaters in August Town, St Andrew last Wednesday, said yesterday's discovery of his body is crucial to them getting closure.

"Mi glad wi find him and wi appreciate everybody weh help in the process. Wi have closure now because wi did really want to find him," an aunt, Shanae Richards, said.

Kyle's body was found in Harbour View, approximately five miles from the spot where he was swept away by raging floodwaters as he made his way home from school.