Sixteen-year-old Georgian Saunders has become the sixth victim of the tragic fire that consumed a section of the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre in St Ann nearly two weeks ago.

Saunders, who had been transferred from the St Ann's Bay Hospital to the Kingston Public Hospital because of the severity of her condition, succumbed to her injuries yesterday.

Minister of National Security Senator Dwight Nelson has expressed sadness at the news that another ward of the state has died.

Jolted by news

In a release to the media yesterday, Nelson said he was jolted by the news of the death of the child and lamented that the nation has been robbed of another potentially gifted child, who was trying to correct the mistakes of the past.

Nelson said his ministry would continue to do all it could to provide support to both the families of the deceased and the surviving victims of the fire.

Georgian's mother, Joan Mitchell, who was at the hospital when she died, said she was feeling the pain of losing her daughter increase with every passing minute.

"Mi cyan tell yuh - I feeling very bad. Boy, I'm telling, I feel it more," she said.

Concerned about cause

Joan also said she was concerned about the cause of death given to her by the hospital's staff and said she would be seeking to have her own doctors present when her daughter's post-mortem is being carried out.

In the meantime, the national security minister has disclosed that preparations were being put in place for a commission of enquiry, which had been announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Immediately after the tragedy, Golding ordered Armadale closed.

On Friday, May 29, 20 of the surviving girls were moved to the Diamond Crest Villa, near Alligator Pond, Manchester.

andrew.wildes@gleanerjm.com