Sandy Point accident victims buried

All in the same grave

 BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS they were often seen on many occasions when the breath of life was within their young bodies, so were they laid - side by side - in the same grave within the St. Anne’s Anglican Churchyard on Friday, October 22, 2010.

Three of the four Sandy Point accident victims, Maurice Denzil Rawlins (23), Lasinto Bradshaw (22) and Damian Harris (22), were laid to rest following a home-going service at the Sandy Point Hard Court. The fourth victim, Dexter Vernon James (32), was buried on the previous day at the Springfield Cemetery.

The Reverend Malcolm Dick-Grant of the St. Anne’s Anglican Church and Pastor Clive Saunders of the Faith Tabernacle Ministries were the officiating ministers at the service, which had drawn over 3 000 mourners, sympathisers and curious onlookers.

On the night of Friday, October 8, 2010, the four construction workers lost their lives when the vehicle in which they were travelling (driven by Rawlins) crashed in the vicinity of J’s Place in Romney Ground, Sandy Point.

The four friends, whom many said lived like brothers, were employees of Lennox Warner and Partner Construction Company.

Indeed, Friday afternoon had brought a moment of great sadness in Sandy Point, as the stifling silence was broken by the mournful echoes of wailing family members and loved ones when the three black caskets were being lowered into the ground.

Among those present were the Hon. Shawn Richards, Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Five; and Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas, who is the Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Six in which Rawlins was born.

Not only was the PM there to represent his Cabinet and the nation, but also as a mourner; being a close relative of Rawlins and Bradshaw. He was also Rawlins godfather and had delivered him at birth.

“It is a very sad day not only for St. Kitts and Nevis and the young people of this country, but specifically for the families and close relatives as well as the communities from which the young men came. I do not know if you are aware that Bradshaw and Rawlins are my close relatives. Both of them are from the community of St. Pauls and Rawlins carried Denzil as one of his middle names. That is because I delivered him right at his mother’s house in St. Pauls.

“These two kids in particular were very close to me, and so it is not just the general grief that I feel for them as the Political Leader of this country, a villager of St. Pauls and also their Constituency Representative, but personally as a very close relative.

“All the parents and relatives of these young men including Dexter James, the one that was buried yesterday, are at this time very, very sad, and that is why I am asking the nation to keep them in their prayers,” Dr. Douglas told SKNVibes at the burial site.

Among those left to mourn Rawlins’ passing are: his mother, Paulina Rawlins; father - Lennox Warner; Grandmother - Laura browne; brothers - Ikymo, Javan, Karim and Denzil; sisters - Vickish, Trisha and Claudette; aunts - Julie Broadbelt, Diana Warner, Valerie Douglas, Cynthia Douglas, Donna Lewis, Pauline Lewis, Alistine Rawlins, Beverly Rawlins, Brenda Rawlins and Ismay Francis; uncles - Geron and Keith Romney, Paulie Rawlins, Robelto Rawlins, Ersdaille Rawlins and Colin Rawlins; one niece and three nephews.

Harris’ passing has left to mourn his father, Joseph Wyatt; stepmother - Myrthlyn Wyatt; grandmothers - Wilhemina Wyatt and Irene Wyatt; brothers - Kenrick Harris, Sylvester Harris, Darryl Harris, Jaleal Harris, and Kailan and Tadje Wyatt; sisters - Bernadette, Marcia and Kaylin Wyatt; aunts - Rosalier Gervis, Mona Paul and Aretha Wyatt; uncles - Vincent Harris, Curtis Wyatt, James Paul and Trevor Wyatt; two nieces and four nephews.

And to mourn Bradshaw’s death are: his mother, Erene Bradshaw; father – Lascelles Bradshaw; grandmother – Verba Huggins; fiancée – Sherisma Battice; son – Zarique Bradshaw; stepdaughter – Zarina Roberts; brothers – Asim, Wasim and T.K Bradshaw; sisters – Aquilla and Queneala Bradshaw; aunts – Letrecia Carty, Shirley Woods, Rosetta O Pennyfeather, Hyacynth Warner, Pearl Huggins, Kay Bradshaw and Jacinth Harris; uncles – Joseph Pennyfeather, Vernon Bradshaw, Calvin Harris, Eugene and Velton Huggins; nephew – Ashorn Isaac; and his niece, Breanna Hazel.

The management and staff of SKNVibes extend heartfelt condolences to the parents, other family members and friends of the late Maurice Denzil Rawlins, Damian Harris and Lasinto Bradshaw at this time of their bereavement.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: While it is believed by many that the four young men were victims of the most fatal traffic accident in the history of St. Kitts and Nevis, SKNVibes has learnt that seven children were involved in a road accident in Saddlers Village and only two survived.

According to information gleaned, the accident occurred on Thursday, July 27, 1979 on the Saddlers’ Main Road. This media house was informed that the children were returning from Bible classes when a car, driven by one Answorth Connor of St. Pauls, ran into them. The vehicle allegedly careered off the road, ploughed through a fence and stopped after colliding with a house.

Information also indicated that the victims were a brother and sister from St. Thomas vacationing in St. Kitts, two brothers who were residents of Saddlers and their neighbour’s daughter.  

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