Melissa George passed away last night. How? What happened? Rumours abound that she was murdered.
MG had been a challenge to us, esp the disciplinary masters. She chose to be absent from school as and when she liked. She was caught smoking many times. She frequented pubs. She often brought contraband stuff to school to show to her friends. The items were duly confiscated, but on and off, some other items would show up. To the ‘rebellious ones’ she was a hero, an admirable character who challenged the authorities and seemed to get away with it. To the ‘good ones’, she was a puzzle – spoken of in hushed tones.
The discipline masters sent warning letters, suggest expulsion. The school counselor pleaded for her – give her one more chance. Finally it was ‘one more chance’ too many, and she was expelled.
What happened to MG ? She was a high achiever. Pretty and talented in many ways. In Form 3, she met and befriended a young man. She told her friends she was in love and the man mattered to her above all others – her grades began to drop. They had a serious relationship. Once she did not return home, telling her parents she was staying with a friend. Her parents called the school, and we went together to search for her. The teachers pleaded with her to return home. In Form 4, she found a new love – a much older man. This man, married with 3 children, cared for her and gave her enough pocket money to make all her friends envious. After much advice, she promised to give up the man and to mend her ways. And to concentrate on her studies. It was short-lived. The man pleaded with her and she returned to him. Her absenteeism increased. Finally in March this year, she decided to quit school.
Last night she was found sprawled along the old Papar-Beaufort Highway. A victim of hit-and-run? It appeared so, until the tangle began to unfold. The highway was a deserted stretch, except for 2 solitary houses in the area. It was about 6.30 pm, still bright. The occupants of one of the houses heard screaming, and then cries for help. ‘Better not get involve,’ they thought. A van carrying passengers passed a person crawling in the middle of the road. He maneuvered his van to avoid it “Perhaps it’s a highway scam. Or maybe some crazy drunk lying there,” the driver thought and drove away. After half an hour, he felt uneasy and decided to turn back. When he returned to the site, he saw a mangled body, head smashed. Meanwhile the occupants decided to investigate and as they came out, they heard a ‘thud’ and the crying stopped. A black pick-up speeded away. They called the police.
The occupants felt remorse for not coming out earlier. The van driver felt guilt. The woman was alive when he last saw it. It was too late……The body was identified as MG.
How did MG come to this place, miles away from home? Was she beaten and assaulted elsewhere and dumped here to die ? Was she lured here and assaulted ? No one knows for sure. However, it emerged that the man’s wife who could not tolerate his infidelity and moved out of the house together with her children. His mother gave him an ultimatum – choose one or the other. He refused. He wanted to eat his cake and to have it as well.
Why MG? – she did not come from a broken family. Her family were reasonably comfortable, no luxuries but enough. My counselor wailed. What did I fail to do? What else could I have done? No it was not your fault, teacher. You had the moral responsibility but not the moral authority over MG. You cared for her as a parent would, but you had no parental control over her. MG does not accept correction nor advice. She would listen quietly to the counselor, look at her and smile as if “You can talk, but I know better…” kind of look.
I feel it was a case of absent parental control. MG’s father could never bring himself to discipline her. He was the weekend father and when he came home, he just wanted ‘to love his children’. He could never scold her for her wrongdoings, much less to punish her. He did not give any moral support to his wife when she reprimanded the children. So, she resigned and gave up disciplining them. She was unruly. Thus whenever she was called up by the school, she told the teacher, “Do your best, she listens to you more.” They were horrified when we suggested that MG be placed temporarily at a home for wayward girls (she would be under 24 hours supervision). “Tak sampai hati” was the excuse.
I feel sad – why didn’t the parents take firmer stand when we advised them to? In every argument, the mother often lost the battle. She should have won had she been more authoritative. It was a life wasted. The bible is always right. “Discipline your child, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” Proverbs 19:18 and “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die, Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.” Proverbs 23:13-14
Post mortem revealed she sustained multiple stab wounds. MG was only 17 when she met her tragic end .
MG had been a challenge to us, esp the disciplinary masters. She chose to be absent from school as and when she liked. She was caught smoking many times. She frequented pubs. She often brought contraband stuff to school to show to her friends. The items were duly confiscated, but on and off, some other items would show up. To the ‘rebellious ones’ she was a hero, an admirable character who challenged the authorities and seemed to get away with it. To the ‘good ones’, she was a puzzle – spoken of in hushed tones.
The discipline masters sent warning letters, suggest expulsion. The school counselor pleaded for her – give her one more chance. Finally it was ‘one more chance’ too many, and she was expelled.
What happened to MG ? She was a high achiever. Pretty and talented in many ways. In Form 3, she met and befriended a young man. She told her friends she was in love and the man mattered to her above all others – her grades began to drop. They had a serious relationship. Once she did not return home, telling her parents she was staying with a friend. Her parents called the school, and we went together to search for her. The teachers pleaded with her to return home. In Form 4, she found a new love – a much older man. This man, married with 3 children, cared for her and gave her enough pocket money to make all her friends envious. After much advice, she promised to give up the man and to mend her ways. And to concentrate on her studies. It was short-lived. The man pleaded with her and she returned to him. Her absenteeism increased. Finally in March this year, she decided to quit school.
Last night she was found sprawled along the old Papar-Beaufort Highway. A victim of hit-and-run? It appeared so, until the tangle began to unfold. The highway was a deserted stretch, except for 2 solitary houses in the area. It was about 6.30 pm, still bright. The occupants of one of the houses heard screaming, and then cries for help. ‘Better not get involve,’ they thought. A van carrying passengers passed a person crawling in the middle of the road. He maneuvered his van to avoid it “Perhaps it’s a highway scam. Or maybe some crazy drunk lying there,” the driver thought and drove away. After half an hour, he felt uneasy and decided to turn back. When he returned to the site, he saw a mangled body, head smashed. Meanwhile the occupants decided to investigate and as they came out, they heard a ‘thud’ and the crying stopped. A black pick-up speeded away. They called the police.
The occupants felt remorse for not coming out earlier. The van driver felt guilt. The woman was alive when he last saw it. It was too late……The body was identified as MG.
How did MG come to this place, miles away from home? Was she beaten and assaulted elsewhere and dumped here to die ? Was she lured here and assaulted ? No one knows for sure. However, it emerged that the man’s wife who could not tolerate his infidelity and moved out of the house together with her children. His mother gave him an ultimatum – choose one or the other. He refused. He wanted to eat his cake and to have it as well.
Why MG? – she did not come from a broken family. Her family were reasonably comfortable, no luxuries but enough. My counselor wailed. What did I fail to do? What else could I have done? No it was not your fault, teacher. You had the moral responsibility but not the moral authority over MG. You cared for her as a parent would, but you had no parental control over her. MG does not accept correction nor advice. She would listen quietly to the counselor, look at her and smile as if “You can talk, but I know better…” kind of look.
I feel it was a case of absent parental control. MG’s father could never bring himself to discipline her. He was the weekend father and when he came home, he just wanted ‘to love his children’. He could never scold her for her wrongdoings, much less to punish her. He did not give any moral support to his wife when she reprimanded the children. So, she resigned and gave up disciplining them. She was unruly. Thus whenever she was called up by the school, she told the teacher, “Do your best, she listens to you more.” They were horrified when we suggested that MG be placed temporarily at a home for wayward girls (she would be under 24 hours supervision). “Tak sampai hati” was the excuse.
I feel sad – why didn’t the parents take firmer stand when we advised them to? In every argument, the mother often lost the battle. She should have won had she been more authoritative. It was a life wasted. The bible is always right. “Discipline your child, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” Proverbs 19:18 and “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die, Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.” Proverbs 23:13-14
Post mortem revealed she sustained multiple stab wounds. MG was only 17 when she met her tragic end .
1 comment:
wasted indeed... so sad.
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