Chaotic crowd at funeral of Clarendon five

Chaos took over the funeral of the Clarendon mother and her four children as a massive crowd turned up for the final goodbye.

From the start, there was a long line of mourners trying to get inside Stuart Hall at Clarendon College, where the service is being held.

The crowd grew as the procession arrived and persons tried to get a glimpse of the coffins of 31-year-old Kemesha Wright, and her children - 23-month-old Keshawn Henry; Kimanda Smith, 15; Shara-lee Smith, 11; and Rafaella Smith, five. 

The venue filled up quickly, with persons making a mad dash for a seat.

Under the hot sun outside, tempers boiled over as many, some claiming to be relatives, tried to get inside the venue.

So bad was the crowd that the doors to the hall had to be closed to allow the authorities to try to restore calm.

Inside the hall, a sister of Wright, who was upset at the disorderly crowd, angrily turned over chairs and tossed some aside before bursting into tears in a friend's arms.

The viewing of the deceased had to be discontinued as order proved to be elusive.

"Gently people we are asking you to cooperate with the law enforcers,” organisers pleaded with the crowd.

However, the large gathering was unmoved.

- Cecelia Campbell-Livingston

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