A primary school installed a plaque yesterday to remember an 11-year-old girl who was brutally murdered more than 40 years ago.

Former pupils and present pupils of Paget Primary School handed over the handmade plaque in memory of Connie Furtado, who was a pupil when raped and strangled to death with her school tie on her way home from classes.

Paul Simons, who was in the same class as Connie, said: “We remember Connie for one simple reason and one small word with a big meaning — she was good.

“I want you to understand that good is transferable — it lasts for ever and ever and it goes from person to person to person.

“This just goes to show you that no matter the short time spent or the long time spent that you have, if you’re good, it lives on for ever.”

Connie’s death in 1987 shocked the island. Mr Simons told The Royal Gazette that it was an event that “changed the landscape of Bermuda”.

He explained: “Prior to her death, we used to walk home freely by ourselves or leave our doors unlocked without any problems.

“Once this happened, it changed everything — police escorts would actually come to take children home, otherwise nobody could leave school without their parents picking them up.”

Mr Simons added that Connie’s death was the first time many of her schoolmates had to deal with grief.

He said: “It really traumatised the whole school. If you talk to a lot of our former classmates, even today, people just start crying.”

The plaque, engraved with a picture and epitaph for Connie, will be placed over the entrance to the school hall.

Tracy Clarke-Hayward, a classmate and close friend of Connie’s, said she remembered her friendliness and her struggle to master English.

She said: “Because she came from the Azores, a lot of times she couldn’t communicate the way she wanted to, but she was very friendly despite being quite shy. We tried to help her understand English by just including her and everybody went out of their way to make sure that she had everything that she needed.”

Ms Clarke-Hayward added: “I think it’s best that she be remembered as the beautiful young lady that she was.”

Mr Simons said that the plaque was crafted by prisoners at Westgate jail and later engraved with Connie’s picture. He said that it was his hope to install an engraved memorial bench next to the Railway Trail in Ord Road, where her body was found.