Tears in Blackwoods as community grieves teen’s death

Sherika Smith was a picture of grief as she reminisced on the shock death of her 15-year-old son Tavaughn Patterson.

In-between tears at her home in Blackwoods, Clarendon, she recalled the moment she found out that Tavaughn, who had been missing for days, was indeed dead.

Smith said her best friend telephoned her as she transacted business at Paymaster in May Pen, to say that a body had been found and that it could be her missing son’s.

SHORT-LIVED OPTIMISM

She had short-lived optimism when she heard that the body bore a tattoo - a mark she had never seen on her son.

But that hope faded when she learnt that a red pullover was found at the scene.

“I know for sure that Jaheim had one,” Smith said, referencing her son’s nickname.

Smith fainted at the scene, but managed to get a look at the bagged body after she had been revived.

“The face part looked like Jaheim. I asked to look at his hair. He had a scar he got when he was a baby. The scar could still be seen. I knew for sure it was him,” she said.

The grieving mother, who has praised community folks for their assistance, says that she feels an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

Her son, who had ambitions of joining the army, often assured her not to worry about the future, she said.

“Every day him say, ‘Mummy, don’t worry, you gonna be okay.’ Every evening mi know fi sure mi can look fi a call from Jaheim, 6:30 the latest, asking if mi leave work yet and what mi a go eat when mi reach home,” she shared.

The second of four sons, Smith said that Tavaughn got along well with his siblings.

Smith, who is hypertensive, is not the only one struggling to cope. She says the boy’s grandmother is taking his death even harder than she is.

“I realise that her mind is troubled about it. She is not functioning properly at home since then, because it’s like every move [that she makes] Jaheim come to her mind,” she said.

Collin Henry, councillor for the Thompson Town Division and neighbour of the deceased, said the community has lost a bright mind.

He admits being at a loss for words, as he said the youngster was loved by all, and he could be called on at any time to assist.

“It is just difficult; really, really difficult to give a feedback on Jaheim.”

“It still puzzles my mind up to this day why anyone would want to hurt such a humble person,” Henry told The Gleaner.

Henry said he would ensure that the family receives counselling, and has also called on the community to rally around the family.

Reports from the Chapelton police are that at about 9:20 a.m., a farmer was on his way home in Danks Savoy, Summerfield, when he stumbled on Patterson’s body near a river in the community.

The lawmen who visited the scene reported that the body was found lying in the mud and had several chop wounds.

The matter is now being treated as a murder investigation.

cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com