The Tribune

DIRECTOR Dr David Allen and members and stakeholders of “The Family: People Helping People” Project paid an impromptu visit to relatives and neighbours of the three-year-old boy who died in a house fire at Obeah Alley off St Margaret’s Road.

They were joined by community leaders, including an Urban Renewal social worker and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn.

The group spoke to grandmother Barbara McKenzie and neighbours, some of whom were still assisting with the clean-up of the charred wooden building.

Among the items found were a small tricycle and a partly melted tennis shoe, the latter almost in the exact spot where the child was found clinging to the family dog.

“The whole idea of ‘The Family’ is that we stand with people in pain,” Dr Allen said. “When we have our meetings at St Margaret’s Anglican Church in the area, a number of our members live in the area and have contact with the young child and others like him who live here.”

According to police reports, the house fire claimed the life of the young child on Monday, November 25. St Margaret’s Road is in the Kemp Road area.

Dr Allen said that once a “family” group therapy programme is established in an area, the entire area becomes a part of that family. Therefore, they had to visit this extended family to comfort and support them.

“We are looking at what resources are currently available and what is not available, we look at what we can do to help in finding more assistance,” Dr Allen said.

Mr Lightbourn, who has been a constant visitor to the affected family since the fire, said the he feels that, at such a tragic time, the family of the victim appreciates persons coming to them, showing concern and wanting to help them.

“It is a terrible situation here and thank God that only one person was killed, when you look at the proximity of the homes,” he said solemnly.

“Dr Allen does run a programme near here to help people who have been traumatised in the way this family has, on Monday evenings at St Margaret’s Church, at 6pm, on Kemp Road, and I encourage persons who have suffered from this and similar situations to attend those meetings and seek the help and support of others in their community.

“There are a lot of people who have had tragedies – children being murdered, people dying in unfortunate situations, and this terrible incident with the young child.”

Kemp Road Urban Renewal social worker Daphne Williams said the area benefits from the confidential and free group therapy programme Dr Allen initiated, and she feels that it is helping.

“I like the response that I am seeing and how people are coming and sharing their feelings and the feedback that everyone is getting and how they are trying to help one another one,” she said. “I am encouraged by what I see in the community from it.”

Minister Laura Taylor of Caring for The Least of These: Eljhay’s Hilltop Cottage Ministries added that she also attends “The Family” session and is excited to see persons talk about their situations more freely and finding support.

Community leader Alfred Kerr agreed and said that he is a part of “The Family” because everyone has their tragedies and they can help each other. He revealed that his son drowned.

“This little boy is no stranger to us,” Mr Kerr said. “He has been a part of the feeding ministry and a part of the summer school and we know him well – as young as he is, we have known him basically from birth.

“I encourage them to stay strong and that we are there for them.”