Second victim succumbs after Sophia arson

Towobola Abrams, one of the victims in the ‘C’ Field, Sophia arson last Friday, succumbed to her injuries yesterday at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The late night fire, which was allegedly set by the woman’s jilted lover, claimed the life of her step-father and had left her and her boyfriend in critical states at the public hospital.

Abrams, 38, of Lot 6036 ‘C’ Field, Sophia, died in the Burn Care Unit of the hospital around 5:15pm yesterday. Her boyfriend remained in the unit with severe burn injuries. The alleged arsonist is a patient in the Male Surgical Ward of the hospital after he suffered minor burns about his arms and other parts of his body.

The father of Adams’ children broke down in tears outside of the ward when he received news of her death. He exited the Burn Care Unit with her pillow in his hands, weeping. Too distraught to speak much, the man, however, said he was separated from Adams for seven years but they shared their children. He said he was the first person to receive the news of her death.

One of Adams’ relatives stated that she wanted to go and see the man responsible for what happened to Adams and her family. “I wanna go up and see him and tell him she dead. I’m more sorry for her mother because she lost her husband and her house and now her daughter,” the woman said.

Gavin Harris, the alleged arsonist, was carried to the hospital on Monday by police after his mother turned him into investigators at the Linden Police Station. Harris had fled to his mother’s home in Linden, where he allegedly confessed to setting the house on fire. After listening to his story, his mother carried him to the station and he was arrested.

The Sophia house was set on fire while Adams and her boyfriend were sleeping. Other persons also lived in house, one of which was the woman’s stepfather, Clifford Sampson, an elderly man.