The family of Simon Griffith is demanding answers regarding the circumstances which led to his death at his cousin’s house at Kairie Island, Santa Rosa, Region One, on August 2.
Subrina Thomas, Griffith’s sister, recounted that her brother was last seen on August 1 when he returned home to take a bath. The family became worried after the post-mortem examination results revealed that he died as a result of asphyxiation, ligature strangulation, and blunt trauma to the head.
Thomas told Stabroek News that Griffith did not return home on the night of August 1. Griffith would usually visit his cousin’s house.
On August 2, at about 6 am calls to Griffith’s phone went unanswered. A few minutes later the cousin returned a call and asked Subrina if she was trying to contact Griffith. The cousin further stated that Griffith was sleeping and attempted wake him up while Subrina was still on the call. Subrina said Griffith did not respond and she asked the cousin if he was breathing and she responded in the affirmative.
“I keep calling he phone and no answer. After I keep calling when I call back some body press the button and nobody was talking and then cut off. Shortly after she call back and ask if I did calling me brother I said yes. She said he sleeping, so I tell she wake he up. She try waking he up while I deh on the call but he never answer. I ask she if he breathing, she said yes. Then she said come for your brother and I tell she I coming.”
According to Subrina, while she was on her way to the house, the cousin was heading out to an unknown location and she (Subrina) asked her to turn back to accompany her to the house. The cousin turned back and upon arrival at the home Subrina was told that he was sleeping in a room. Subrina told this newspaper that her brother was on a mattress in a dark room. She added that the room was extremely dark and she had to use her phone light to see Griffith.
“So, when I meet there, she say he in the room, the room so dark I had to use a phone light to see. I shine the light on he and my brother fair skin but he face get black. His foot bottom was white.”
According to the police investigation, Griffith died between the night of August 1 and the morning of August 2. The family is not satisfied with the way the police investigation into the matter is being conducted.
Subrina alleged that Griffith slept on the same bed with the cousin and as such, it was impossible for her not to know that he died. The cousin was silent when Subrina questioned her about Griffith’s death. Since the incident, the cousin told relatives several contradictory stories about what transpired.
The family is demanding justice and insist that police conduct a thorough investigation into the death of Griffith.
