Lorenzo James, the man who committed suicide after escaping from the police station where he was held after being arrested for abusing his girlfriend was not a “monster,” relatives say.
James, 21, of D’urban Street, Georgetown, was arrested on Boxing Day and held at the Grove police station after he allegedly assaulted his 18-year-old girlfriend. He managed to escape hours after and went to a close friend’s home in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown where he reportedly took his own life by ingesting a poisonous substance.
He and the girl were in a relationship for four years which meant that he was with her since she was 14 years which is below the age of consent.
Reports have been circulating in various sections of the media about the incident and relatives of James, who is a Venezuelan national, have expressed concern at him being labelled a “monster” by the girl’s mother. They also expressed doubt that he would take his own life.
The young woman’s mother refused to comment when contacted by Stabroek News yesterday saying she is not speaking with the media anymore.
Lorenzo’s relatives said they cannot recall any arguments between the couple.
They told Stabroek News that the couple’s relationship was accepted by them and the teen’s mother was aware of the relationship and did not have any problems with it as Lorenzo provided for the young woman generally.
“My brother use to take care of her, from paying her school fees, to making sure she gets everything she call for, to even doing some renovation at her mother house when he moved in with her,” Carolina James, Lorenzo’s sister said. She showed a conversation on her brother’s cellular phone between him and the teen where the young woman asked Lorenzo to rebuild the fence and he agreed.
Stabroek News also observed that there was some disagreement between the couple after this period.
Lorenzo’s relatives said they had encouraged the couple to be respectful. “He was living with us all the time and the girl use to even come home here. We use to train them to work together and always be by each other side but he move out like eight months ago and went to live with she and she mother in Grove,” Carolina said.
His mother Orian Agnes said she was shocked by the news and is still looking for answers in relation to what exactly transpired between the two that caused her son to behave in that manner.
There have been claims that Lorenzo beat the young woman for some 10 hours after claiming she was disrespectful to his family but his relatives said as far as they are aware, the two were very respectful to each other. They said they too are confused about the entire situation.
Lorenzo was arrested and taken to the police station by his girlfriend’s mother and neighbours with the help of a taxi driver who kicked down the door of their Grove, East Bank Demerara home, after several calls to the young woman when unanswered. This was after the woman sensed something was wrong when she was not getting in contact with her daughter.
“The only thing we could think about is if he found out she has someone else because he was in Venezuela for like three months and then come back,” Carolina said.
“If that was the case then it would trigger him. I know because my brother loved that girl so much that he even did two jobs just to make sure she gets everything she ask for,” she added.
An autopsy performed on Lorenzo’s body revealed that he died as a result of ingesting a poisonous substance. However, his family is not satisfied that this is the case. A note was also written by the young man to be delivered to his girlfriend but according to Carolina, he did not state anything about taking his own life neither was there any evidence of the substance left behind that he might have ingested.
Marks of violence were also seen on Lorenzo’s body and they said maybe this would have been a result of a fight the couple had prior to his death.
“I don’t even know if that is my brother handwriting but in the note he just wrote telling her (his girlfriend) that it is finally over while apologizing to her,” Carolina said.
