WISH Mourns the Death of 19-Year-Old Zowie Tomlinson and Calls on the Nation to Prioritise Youth Mental Health  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WISH Mourns the Death of 19-Year-Old Zowie Tomlinson and Calls on the Nation to Prioritise Youth Mental Health  

June 21, 2026, ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA — WISH The Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH) is heartbroken by the confirmed death of 19-year-old Zowie Tomlinson of Parham, whose body was recovered from the waters at Devil’s Bridge on Sunday morning, 21 June 2026, following an overnight search and recovery operation by police and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard.  

We extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Tomlinson’s family, friends, and the Parham community. She was only nineteen years old. Her death is a loss that this nation must sit with, and not look away from.  

“We are devastated,” said Chaneil Imhoff, Founder of WISH. “Zowie was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s friend, somebody’s neighbour. Nineteen years is no age to feel that there is no way forward. We grieve with her family today, and we grieve as a country that has not yet done enough to ensure that our young people can access mental health support when they need it most.”  

WISH urges the public to exercise care and compassion in how this tragedy is discussed, particularly on social media. Speculation about the circumstances of Ms. Tomlinson’s death, the sharing of graphic content, or commentary that reduces her life to the manner of her passing causes additional harm to those who loved her and to others in the community who may themselves be struggling in silence. The Police Administration has appealed for privacy to be respected as investigations continue, and WISH echoes that call unreservedly.  

We also wish to speak directly to anyone who is carrying pain right now: you are not alone, and what you are feeling does not have to be permanent. Please reach out.  

WISH will continue to advocate for sustainable, accessible, and culturally grounded mental health services in Antigua and Barbuda. The death of a 19-year-old is more than another tragedy to mourn; it is a call to act.  

For more information about mental health resources and WISH’s initiatives, please visit our website at wish-wadadli.org.  

About WISH:

The Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH) is a mental health platform in Antigua and Barbuda, dedicated to revolutionising how our nation thinks about, talks about, and cares for mental health. Through education and advocacy, WISH works to break the silence, shatter stigmas, and create positive change in mental health awareness.  

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