Family members of the eight-year-old girl who, along with her grandmother and aunt, were killed a horrific accident on Sunday night are calling for justice and assistance.
Little Akese Jerome, her grandmother Anthonia Henry, and her aunt Melina Emmanuel were killed when a speeding car crashed into them as they were sitting at the curbside along the Kairuni Public Road, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
Police had said motorcar PHH 6628, which was being driven by a 39-year-old fireman of Mackenzie, Linden, was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road at a fast rate of speed, when he lost control and collided with the left side curb of the road.
The motorcar then plowed into a group of persons, all relatives, who were sitting on the side of the road on the said curb.
The eight-year-old girl was picked up in an unconscious state and placed in a passing vehicle and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Henry and Emmanuel were also picked up in an unconscious state and placed into a passing vehicle and taken to the Mackenzie Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Other relatives, Alena Persaud and Rodwell Jerome, were also picked up in an unconscious state and placed in a passing vehicle. They were taken to the Mackenzie Hospital where they were both seen and examined by a doctor on duty.
Alena was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while Jerome is presently under observation at the Mackenzie Hospital.
A notice of intended prosecution has been served on driver who is presently in custody.
A breathalyzer test was carried out on the driver however, no alcohol was found in his blood stream.
When INews visited the home of the family at the quiet Amerindian community, relatives were in a state of shock and deep grief.
The little girl’s uncle, Fabian Hosea told this publication that the driver of the vehicle claimed he had a “blown out tyre” which caused him to lose control of the car.
Along with his niece, it was his mother and sister who died in the horrendous smash-up.
“When I went out there, I saw my mother on the ground, my sister, my brother-in-law and my little niece…my mother was already dead, the little girl was already dead and only my sister, she was still alive but after she went to the hospital, I think she died in the hospital,” the man recounted.
Up to news time, he said his other relatives were battling for their lives. According to Hosea, his mother and sister were well-known in the area. He said his mother, in particular, played an important role as a caregiver to the family who initially hails from North West District.
They have been living at Kairuni for some 20 years. “My mother was a very loving woman and caring, well concerned, she was well-known around the area as “granny” everybody respected her. To her grandchildren and children around here she was really important person them… My sister was the same kind of person, she never used to go about and get herself involve in things and just live around, she never was employed anywhere she was just a housewife…The child was just a little girl, she used to go Silver Hill Primary School. I never had this kind of experience, I mean it’s three of them [that died], not only one,” the man expressed.
He noted too that his father died last year, and that the grief is unbearable at this time.
Hosea is pleading with the police to ensure justice is served. He is also asking for assistance to offset funeral expenses.
“We are poor people and some assistance would do well to the family because we would have a lot of expense like the burial and other things. We don’t know who to contact or where to go, we ourselves need some advice on what we do, where can look, to get some help. And, I would like to see the police investigate the matter and at least we want some justice,” Hosea said.
Persons interested in helping the family can reach them on 678-8887 or 613-7481.
