The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE family of a young mother who was found dead in her Nassau Village home with her eight-year-old daughter say they want justice for the killings.

“We will bring our sister’s (killer) to justice,” said Normuria Neilly, sister of the 30-year-old victim Alicia Sawyer.

Ms Sawyer’s eight-year-old daughter Ednique Wallace was also killed during the incident, which police say was related to a domestic dispute. The young mother’s ten-year-old daughter, one of her three children, is said to have discovered their bodies.

The child has been left traumatised, relatives said.

“They (are) talking to her. She is taking this hard because to see her mother like that laying in a pool of blood... ain’t easy,” Ms Neilly, 23, said yesterday.

The eight-year-old’s father, Edward Wallace, previously told The Tribune he learned about the horrific incident through Ms Sawyer’s older daughter, who saw the little girl with a cut on her neck.

Ms Neilly, who lives in Eleuthera, said she last spoke to her sister three days ago.

She said her sibling never spoke about anyone being violent towards her. She described her as a private person.

Police said a man was taken into custody on Monday night and is helping them with their investigation. This man is said to be Ms Sawyer’s ex-boyfriend.

“She never brought up anybody that was violent,” Ms Neilly said. “She never told me about nobody being violent to her. It was just ‘how you doing, how the kids doing?’

“She don’t tell nobody her business. She just is keep everything to herself.”

However, she recalled a time when her sister wanted to discuss something with their father.

“My daddy, after I came off the phone, my daddy said she wanted to talk to him about something, but he never got the chance to call her back to say what was the matter.

“It was concerning because he didn’t know what she wanted to talk to him about.”

Ms Sawyer’s father, Norman Knowles, 49, said he kept in regular contact with his daughter and her children. He said he didn’t know much about the man helping police, but said his daughter revealed she had left a relationship due to her partner’s jealousy.

“She said she got out of it because it wasn’t right,” Mr Knowles said. “They weren’t together... She wasn’t happy.”

Both he and Ms Sawyer are from Andros, where she lived until she graduated from high school.

Mr Knowles said his daughter had expressed a desire to move back to the island, but did not want to return until she had found a job there.

Meanwhile, yesterday Dunkin’ Donuts issued condolences to Ms Sawyer, an employee, and her daughter.

“We were heartbroken to learn about the death of a member of our Dunkin’ family, Alicia Sawyer, and her young daughter, both tragically lost in a senseless act of violence,” the company posted on its Facebook page.

“The entire Dunkin’ Bahamas family mourns her and our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones. She was an energetic and passionate leader, and a devoted mother. We will miss her smile, her laughter and her kindness every single day.”

Grief counselling has been made available for other employees, Dunkin’ said.