Still mourning the loss of her brother who drowned three weeks ago, Maureen Wilson Parris was rocked by sorrow yet again on Monday when she learned that her only child, her 14-year-old grandson, and her 50-year-old cousin had all been slaughtered.
“We are just making preparations to bury my brother and now three more add to it. This can’t talk about. Only God mi have to ask for the courage to bring me through. We see people on the news going through this but we never know this will come,” Wilson-Parris told the Jamaica Observer from her house in Higgin Town, St Ann.
She lives more than an hour’s drive away from Free Hill where the carnage occurred.
Those killed have been identified as her daughter and 45-year-old chef, Antria Rattary; Lawrence “Paul” Baddal, a farmer; and little Mykah Bonitto, a student. A report reaching the Observer states that a 15-year-old boy, who was also in the house, discovered their bodies. The teenager, a relative of those killed, reportedly woke up about 8:20 am and went in search of Mykah who was not in the room they both shared. He reportedly went to the living room and found a bloody scene.
According to the police, all three slain individuals had wounds to their upper body, including their necks. The bodies had what appeared to be knife and machete wounds.
Baddal was reportedly found lying on a sofa in the living room with his throat slashed, a machete in his lap and a knife in his right hand. Rattary and Mykah’s bodies were found in a bedroom in a pool of blood.
The police said there were no signs of a break-in.
On Monday evening, lawmen were still trying to piece together what happened inside the house. According to Senior superintendent of police in charge of St Ann Dwight Powell, both the “circumstances and motive are still undetermined”.
Wilson-Parris said she got the horrible news of the trio’s death while on her way to Ocho Rios to visit a relative.
“I get a call from a friend to tell me that my daughter died along with my grandson and cousin. Mi scream out same time and tell the driver to turn around with mi and carry mi to their house. When mi come mi not even see her because the police was here and everything,” she wailed.
“Mi nuh know what could be the reason for this because my daughter don’t trouble people; she gets up and go to work and keep to herself and barely talk,” she added.
She has lost not just a child, she said, but also a friend.
“She was my only child so we are closer than any friend or anyone; she was like the best thing to me. Now my daughter gone, they took my one child from me,” she cried.
The pain from the loss of her youngest grandchild and her cousin is just as raw.
“My grandson and I were so close. He was my baby. When I tell you he love me and I loved him dearly. Paul, the other one who passed, was also very dear to me. We never have any dispute; we live happy, all of us,” said Wilson-Parris.
She has been left bewildered by the killings, puzzled by the thought that anyone could have dealt her family such a cruel blow.
Her relative, Rhomoya Jackson, is equally puzzled. Before Monday’s visit she had last been to the family home in 2019.
“Where the incident happen is my childhood home. I left when I was 17 and I didn’t see my relatives in three years. So to see all of this is very hard for me. It is a traumatic time for our family, but we really don’t know what happened or could have caused this,” Jackson told the Observer.
Equally bewildered and traumatised neighbours in the rural community are also desperately hoping for answers.
“A first mi a see this happen. This is a wicked act, man and anybody do this, God a go punish them. Right now the whole community shake up from morning. People nuh eat or drink from this happen,” said one man who only identified himself as Rasta.
As she searches for answers, a distraught Wilson-Parris prays for strength to cope with the unbearable pain.
“Only God mi have to ask for the courage to bring mi through because mi a tell you say it nuh easy and nobody else can’t strengthen mi because He never leaves nor forsake us,” she said tearfully.
