Students from The Harrison Center, formerly known as ABICE, are among those calling for the death penalty in the case of Angela Mejia, the 20-year-old charged with the murder of nine-year-old Chantel Crump. Mejia, who once attended ABICE before being expelled for attacking another student, is described by former classmates as having a long history of violent behavior. Prior to ABICE, she was also expelled from Otters Comprehensive School amid repeated altercations on and off campus.
Mejia’s arrest followed a chilling turn of events in which she led authorities to Chantel’s body, discovered in the bushes at Weather Hills. In the hours that followed, outraged residents staged a protest outside police headquarters demanding the death penalty. Weeks later, emotions remain high, particularly among her former classmates, who continue to advocate for capital punishment in response to the brutality of the crime.
“She should be executed… publicly too,” one former student stated. “What she did was terrible—a very evil, cruel act.” Another added, “She should suffer and then die. If it were up to me, I’d want her gone.” Their sentiments reflect the widespread anger and heartbreak felt across the community, especially given Chantel’s young age and the horrifying details that have emerged.
However, not everyone agrees. Bishop Charlesworth Browne, a counselor at The Harrison Center and head of the Christian Ministry Center, urged caution. “The death penalty is not the answer to reducing violence or healing society. We need to focus on justice and restoration, not revenge,” he said. He warned of the risk of wrongful convictions and emphasized the importance of a fair judicial process.
Legal experts note that while the mandatory death sentence was declared unconstitutional, courts still retain the discretion to impose it under exceptional circumstances. “The Court of Appeal, through justices such as Sir Dennis Byron and Justice Adrian Saunders, has laid out guidelines for its application,” one observer explained.
The debate surrounding the case underscores the moral and legal complexities involved in seeking the ultimate punishment. As the trial approaches, the question remains: will Angela Mejia’s past and the nature of the crime meet the threshold for capital punishment—and what will that decision say about justice in today’s society?
