Support staff and therapy dogs will be available to students at Clarkson Secondary School this week to help them cope with the loss of a 14-year-old boy who was found murdered in a Mississauga park last week.
“It does impact a lot of people in a bad way because everybody knew him, everybody talked to him and it is traumatizing to know that somebody we know has passed away like this,” Grade 12 student Bethany Sweeney said.
Peel Regional Police said Riley Driver-Martin’s body was located early Friday by a passerby on a path near Meadow Park at the intersection of Truscott Drive and Southdown Road.
Authorities said the boy was found with obvious signs of trauma. His exact cause of death has yet to be released.
Two brothers, Mark and Nicholas Mahabir — both 20 years of age — were arrested and charged with second-degree murder over the weekend in connection with Driver-Martin’s death.
Police said the Clarkson Secondary student left his home Thursday night and never returned.
Those who knew Driver-Martin said he was a boy who interacted with everyone.
“He was like one of the best people I’ve ever met,” Grade 9 student Abigail Snow said. “I was just shocked and when I found out it was a murder, I just burst into tears because nobody deserved that.”
A memorial has been planned for the boy on Monday at Clarkson Community Centre at 6:30 p.m.
“I didn’t really believe it at first. Everyone was saying it was him but I didn’t want to believe it because I know him,” Grade 9 student Jordan Jacobs said.
“If it’s someone you don’t know it doesn’t hurt you as much but when it came over the announcements that it was a boy and he died, I kind of just didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do.”
Comments