BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SLAIN British couple James and Mildred Daniel as well as severely beaten newly-wed Julius and Cam Bertie continue to make headline news in Birmingham, England.
According to a Birmingham News article written by Vicky Farncombe, headlined “St. Kitts attack echoes that of Small Heath couple’s murder”, and dated August 12, 2010, Christine, daughter of the murdered couple, said the attack on the Berties raised questions over whether her parents were targeted for being British.
“Was it envy?” she has been quoted as saying.
The article further read, “The family say they have been left to second guess the motives behind their parents’ murders as they claim they are being kept in the dark by police in St. Kitts who do not return their calls. They only heard about the second attack by reading an online news site from the island.”
It also stated that the Daniels had eight children, 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who had been looking forward to spending time with them in their new home.
The article noted that Christine said, “We will never have closure until we know why they were killed. The pain can’t ease. I can never think about my parents without remembering how they were murdered.”
The Daniels were Kittitian nationals and had been living in Birmingham for over 50 years. However, on an extended holiday in St. Kitts, their partly decomposed bodies were found in one of the bedrooms of their daughter’s newly-constructed Half Moon Court residence on Sunday, April 11, 2010.
James (77) and Mildred (75) were last seen and heard from on Tuesday, April 6, and it was reported by neighbours that a foul stench was emanating from their home. On investigating, police reportedly saw the body of Mildred lying on a bed and that of her husband on the floor a short distance away.
A spent shell was also reportedly found in the bedroom and the police stated that “there were definitely signs of foul play” and they were treating the deaths as homicide. James was shot in the head and Mildred in the chest, and although a bag containing a quantity of English and Eastern Caribbean currencies were in the same bedroom with the couple, it was untouched.
Autopsies were performed on their bodies by Dr. Steven Jones, who found that they both died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot injuries. Since then, a man was taken into custody to assist the police with their investigation but was subsequently released.
At about 2:10 a.m. on Thursday, June 24, 2010, two masked men intruded the Half Moon Court home in which Julius and Cam Bertie were vacationing and severely beat the couple.
Speaking with SKNVibes shortly after the incident, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with responsibility for Operations, Joseph Richardson said the couple was “beaten with an object and had sustained multiple injuries about their bodies”.
He said too that the police did not establish the burglars’ point of entry to the home and no one was taken into custody but investigations were ongoing.
The ACP further said a report was made by Mrs. Bertie, who drove her husband to the Frigate Police Station, and officers took the couple to the hospital.
“Officers have visited the couple at the hospital to get updates on their condition and also to gain information that may lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators,” Richardson said.
He also informed that one item was removed from the home by the burglars and, because of the couple’s condition at the time, investigating officers could not have said if any more had gone missing.
On a visit to the hospital, SKNVibes met with a few relatives of the couple and saw Mr. Bertie, seemingly writhing in pain, lying on a bed with a bandaged head.
This media house learned that the burglars had first attacked Mr. Bertie and, upon seeing her husband being badly beaten, Mrs. Bertie tried to assist him and she too was beaten. She sustained multiple injuries to the body, including deep gashes to the head and a broken arm.
The young couple was married in St. Kitts earlier this year and the house in which they were staying belongs to Mr. Bertie’s parents. His father is a national of St. Kitts, and in recent times he and his wife spend six months of each year in his homeland and the other six in Britain.
SKNVibes today (Aug. 15) contacted the ACP with responsibility for Crime, Joseph Liburd, who indicated that the article published by the Birmingham News is not a true reflection of the situation concerning the Daniels family.
“I do not know to whom or which department of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force the telephone calls came through from England concerning the late James and Mildred Daniel and no officer had responded.
“As the Commissioner with responsibility for Crime and the nephew of Mrs. Daniel, I have been in contact with a son of my aunt who resides in England. I have assisted in every way possible and returned every call that came. I am not only making this official statement as a senior officer of the police force, but also as a family member. The police are still investigating the matter and at present cannot say what the motives of the murder are,” ACP Liburd said.
In response to investigations concerning the robbery and severe beating of Julius and Cam Bertie, Liburd said, “That matter is also under investigation and should we get any lead that can assist in solving this crime, we will be very grateful and will certainly inform the relatives.”
