Grieving mother struggling to find money to bury two murdered sons

The mother of two teenage boys who were fatally shot by gunmen during a robbery at their house in Rollington Town, east Kingston, on November 14 last year, is still struggling to deal with the tragedy, while worrying about where she is going to find the money to pay for their funeral.

"The pain I am feeling over the loss of my two promising sons who were not wrongdoers is so hard to bear," said Shianne Montague as she used a rag to wipe her tears.

"Gunmen do not realise the pain and grief they cause to the loved ones and relatives of the innocent people who they murder. They should stop the wanton killing," added the grief-stricken mother.

"I did not dream that 2018 and 2019 would find me in this predicament," said Montague, as she declared that she has no money to bury her boys and has been asking relatives to help her, but so far no money has been offered.

In recounting the killing of her sons, Montague said the family, which included her eight-year-old daughter, went to bed about 9 p.m. on November 13. She said about one o'clock the next morning the door to the house was kicked open by men armed with guns, who demanded money and mobile phones.

"We gave them our three phones and about $3,000 which we had in the house, but on leaving the men shot my sons right before me and my daughter," said Montague.

She said since that morning her body has been numb and at times she feels as if her life is useless. According to Montague, her daughter has been withdrawn since the incident and suffers from nightmares.

"I always feel sorry for parents when I hear of their children being murdered but I had no idea that it would happen to me," said Montague, as she described her late sons as ambitious, loving, caring, honest and hard-working.

"I have no idea when the funeral is going to take place because I have no money to bury them. Remember, is two of them I have to bury," added Montague.

She said her sons, 19-year-old Adonere Bowen, a member of the popular dance group Team Ultimate, and 17-year-old Jervauni Bowen, a sixth-form student of Clan Carthy High School, had hoped to rise above poverty and were doing their best to do so when they were murdered.

Montague recounted that after Team Ultimate won the World Reggae Dance Competition 2018 at the National Arena in August last year, Adonere applied for his passport because he was confident that the group was going to make it big internationally.

"He even promised to buy me a house so I could move from the area," said Montague, as she noted that in addition to being a fantastic dancer and music lover, Adonere worked at a company on Molynes Road in St Andrew.

She said Jervauni loved to play football and was optimistic that he would get a football scholarship to go to a college overseas.