After Tragedy, UWI Students Create App to Protect Children
In the wake of a heartbreaking tragedy that shook the Five Islands community, students and faculty at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus are responding with innovation and action.
Following the brutal killing of a 9-year-old girl, Chantel Crump near the Five Islands Primary School—just steps away from the UWI campus—the School of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence has mobilized to develop a safety alert app aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future.
Dr. Ileanus Ildefons, head of the school, confirmed that faculty and students are working urgently on a mobile application that would allow children to trigger an alert in emergencies, helping responsible adults respond swiftly. The idea was first raised by Principal Professor Justin Robinson during the campus’s annual Council meeting, where he addressed the community’s collective grief.
“My heart is heavy, not as an academic, but as a parent and Caribbean soul deeply wounded by the loss of a child so full of promise,” Robinson said. “We cannot let this heartbreak paralyze us. We must channel our sorrow into protection.”
The yet-to-be-named app is one part of a broader call for stronger child protection measures, including heightened school security, increased community vigilance, and educational programs to help children recognize danger and seek help.
Dr. Ildefons said the app will be designed with simplicity in mind, enabling children to easily use it to notify a trusted contact or emergency service. The project will also explore geofencing, panic buttons, and direct integration with local law enforcement where feasible.
“This tragedy has galvanized our students,” he said. “We teach them about using technology to solve real-world problems—and now, they’re doing exactly that.”
The initiative underscores the Five Islands Campus’s commitment to being more than an academic institution. As Principal Robinson put it, “We are rooted in the region, and we stand with our community—not just in grief, but in determination to ensure that no other child suffers this fate.”
Support for the grieving family continues, with the campus offering counseling services, financial aid, and ongoing solidarity. The students’ tech-driven response, meanwhile, may serve as a lasting legacy in honour of the life lost.
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