Suffering siblings - Children of pregnant woman killed by policeman face uncertain future

The summer holiday is a bittersweet period for sisters Gillian Senior, 13, and nine year-old Sabreka Salmon, daughters of Kay-Ann Lamont, the 27 year-old pregnant woman who four years ago was shot dead by a policeman after she allegedly cursed expletives in Yallahs St Thomas.

For the first time since last Christmas, the sisters played together two Thursdays ago, having become accustomed to a choppy routine after being separated to live with relatives following their mother's death.

Within weeks they will have to endure the painful reminder of their mother's killing on September 2.

Salmon lives at home with her aunts, Shemean and Novia, while her younger sibling has been shifted from relative to relative in St Andrew, settling with an aunt in Harbour View recently.

Years after their mother's death caused national protests, and pleas for understanding and patience from members of the police High Command, Kay-Ann's relatives are doubtful justice will ever come for her.

Lengthy trials

For now, a little help for her children between the lengthy trials would be more than welcome.

"It makes me angry. Sometimes it makes me miserable because when me look at it me have three children without any father, their father dead and nobody is not helping me; it's me alone," said Novia, as she pointed out that her sister Shemean is in a similar position and they struggle to take care of their deceased sister's children.

"One live down by her aunty and the other is by Logwood with my other sister. The big one is like ... I don't even know what to say about her right now because she not going on in school as how we expect her to be going on.

"Sometimes me sit down and think about it and me cry," said Novia as she recalled how she shook her sister's bloody body as the woman, eight months' pregnant, gulped her last breaths.

"The whole thing happened so fast and sometimes even now I just can't believe that she is really gone," added Novia.

According to the Novia, she, Kay-Ann, Shemean and two children had just returned to Yallahs square, having been forced to put their back-to-school shopping on halt after Kay-Ann was robbed on Orange Street in downtown Kingston on September 2.

Tussle developed

She said Kay-Ann got into an altercation with a vendor and cursed an expletive within earshot of the policeman, who soon accosted her and attempted to arrest her.

The angry woman resisted arrest and a tussle developed. This was when a crowd which gathered started hurling expletives at the cop. Kay-Ann's sisters intervened, and this further angered the cop.

"I don't know if it is because we are sisters or if it was because the people them start take him on and thing, I don't know, but he just got up and when he got up, he selected the top of the gun, and after that I just held my head and shut my eyes," said Novia.

Seconds later she shivered from several explosions, opening her eyes to see her sister lying with little motion on the ground.

Novia later discovered that she had also been shot, an injury which to this day limits the number of jobs she is able to take on.

"From mi sister dead we have been going to court. It is just go court, put off, go court, put off. It's always one heap of stories, and each time we have to wait at least six months before the next case," said Novia.

"We really need some justice. We need justice for he. I got shot and I have constant pain in my hand and have to be going to the doctor and clinic very often."

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com