Grieving mother demands justice after Couva killings

Senior Reporter

[email protected]

Grieving the murder of her daughter—witnessed by her three-year-old granddaughter—Pamela Clarke is appealing to the Government to resume hangings for convicted murderers.

Still reeling from the killing of 34-year-old Amelia Hernandez, who was gunned down along with her former boyfriend, 38-year-old Devaughn Toussaint, in a brazen attack at the Jade Court playpark in Couva on Friday, Clarke said she is heartbroken. The shootings were witnessed by the couple’s three-year-old daughter and other children who were playing in the park.

For the sake of Hernandez’s daughter and 12-year-old son, Clarke said she is trying to remain strong, but she cannot bring herself to watch the video of the attack, which has sent shockwaves across the nation.

Thankful for the support of the Children’s Authority, Clarke said the children—particularly the three-year-old—are severely traumatised. The child was so close to her mother when she was killed that she was left with gunpowder residue and blood on her.

“Right now the baby is traumatised. Sometimes when I go looking for her, she is hiding under the table. When I ask her to come out, she says, ‘The gunman coming.’ Every time it melts my heart to see how traumatised she is and to think she has to live with this. I ask myself how long she will have to live with it,” Clarke said.

Describing Hernandez as a loving mother, Clarke said she was not surprised her daughter tried to protect her child.

“She was shouting, ‘Run, run,’” Clarke recalled. “People said they saw her running to save the child and she tripped and fell. She was a very good mother. As you can see, she gave her life for her child, covering her.”

Clarke, a mother of four, admitted she did not approve of Hernandez’s relationship with Toussaint. The couple ended their relationship almost three years ago.

She said her daughter had gone to Toussaint’s home to pick up their daughter and collect personal items when the gunman struck. Clarke believes Toussaint was the intended target, but suspects her daughter may have been killed because she recognised the shooter.

As she called for justice, Clarke appealed to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to resume hangings.

“I agree with you 100 per cent when you say this is a lawless place we are living in. I fell victim to that. Daylight—2.30 in the afternoon—my daughter was executed in front of her child. I have to deal with it and I don’t know how to,” she said.

Homicide detectives have not yet arrested a suspect.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has described as “ridiculous and unfounded” claims by National Security Minister Roget Alexander that she was supporting crime.

“It is deeply troubling that instead of constructively addressing the situation before us, the Minister has chosen to condemn the Opposition and Independent Senators for not supporting the so-called ZOSO Bill. Labelling legitimate concerns about legislation as support for criminality is a petulant attempt to score cheap political points at a time when real work is required to confront crime effectively,” Beckles said.

She argued that since assuming office, the Government has largely relied on reactive measures. The country, she said, must pursue strategic international partnerships to improve homicide detection rates and implement modern, intelligence-driven policing methods.

Works and Infrastructure Minister Jealean John described the murders as ruthless and unacceptable.

She said there was a 42 per cent drop in murders last year after the UNC assumed office, citing measures such as the State of Emergency, the closure of URP and CEPEPP programmes, and increased police presence in schools to disrupt gang activity.

However, she criticised the Opposition and Independent Senators for failing to support the proposed Zones of Special Operations legislation, which she said is aimed at dismantling gun trafficking, drug networks, money laundering and organised criminal enterprises.