(Trinidad Guardian) Two days after he was shot in the head when a gunman opened fire on a Honda CRV Saturday night, two-year-old Jaheim Lord died.
The toddler was listed in a critical condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and died around 2.15 am yesterday.
The child who was taken for a drive, along with his younger sister Salina, in an attempt for them to fall asleep, was pronounced brain dead on Sunday.
Speaking with the media at her Railway Road home, Enterprise, Chaguanas on Sunday, the children’s mother Ava Modeste, 24, said her child was on life support and had swelling in his brain. She was too distraught to speak with the media yesterday.
Modeste, an auxiliary fire officer, was hidden from media cameras as she entered and exited the Forensic Science Centre yesterday.
Police said around 10 pm, Abu John, who lived at both Couva and Toco, Kevin Lord, 29, of Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas and Lord’s two children were attacked when gunmen opened fire on the vehicle John was driving.
John crashed the car into a wall along Bhagaloo Trace, after the vehicle was riddled with bullets. John, police said, ran out of the vehicle and collapsed a short distance away and died. The children were taken to the Chaguanas Accident and Emergency Department where little Jaheim was stabilised and transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
In an unrelated killing, a San Juan father of one was killed on Friday night as he made his way to his girlfriend’s Morvant home. According to police reports, residents of Never Dirty, Morvant heard gunshots and later found the body of Quintica Burnett at the side of the road.
Speaking with members of the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James yesterday, Burnett’s mother, Juliet Charles, said her son left their Febeau Village home around 9 pm to visit his nine-month-old son and the child’s mother.
Charles said the last words her son, a labourer, said to her was that he wanted $500.
Charles said she believes that her son was set up to be killed but was not sure who would have wanted him dead as he was well liked by all. She said that her 19-year-old child was always with his son wherever he went. Burnett, she said, was her source of strength and assistance.
The murders have taken the toll to 259 for the year. The corresponding figure for last year was 272.
