Onlookers blame cops

Andre' Williams, Star Writer

The Stony Hill police are refuting claims that negligence on their part had a hand in the death of a woman, who collapsed and apparently died on a sidewalk while clutching her baby recently.

Information reaching our news team is that the deceased woman, 21-year-old Abina Stewart, was drinking a bag juice, while making her way in the direction of a bus stop along the Golden Spring main road, when she suddenly fell with her baby in arm.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 25.

One of the first respondents, Gareth Davis, was standing at the bus stop and noticed what transpired.

"I was at the bus stop on my phone and I saw her walking towards where I was. I was texting and when I look again she drop on her back. I ran towards her and took the baby from her, a shoe repair man also saw what happened and came out to help. The baby is about two months old, so when a woman came on the scene, I gave her the baby to hold, the girl look like she was having a seizure."

Davis said he contacted the police at 4:19 p.m. when the woman fell to the ground, and again at 4:24 p.m. when she made her last gasp.

Not correct

"When I called back they said there was no vehicle to assist at the time ... they said the vehicle was coming from Constant Spring," said Davis.

When our news team visited the Stony Hill police last week, Sergeant Carron Taylor, sub-officer in charge of the station, told THE STAR the police were aware of the incident, however, some of the theories were not correct.

"The police took her to the hospital... I cannot speak on the time of death, a doctor would have to determine that... what we do know is that at the time the police arrived on the scene and took her to the hospital, she was in an unresponsive state," he said.

Speaking on claims made by onlookers that negligence on the part of the police led to the woman's death, Taylor said that was not so.

"The police are here to prevent the loss of life... anything to do with life is a matter of priority... whenever the police have other engagements, once we receive a distress call we give them priority."