The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ON a rainy Sunday morning, Ingrid Francois drove her son Antonio Cartwright to work after the weather interrupted his usual skateboard commute, never imagining it would be the last time she would see him alive.

Four days later, the 27-year-old was found hanging from a tree in bushes near Hacio Point Close in a suspected suicide.

Cartwright had been diagnosed with schizophrenia earlier this year and attended a medical appointment two days before his disappearance that left his mother deeply concerned about his treatment.

Ms Francois also said she had directed police to the track road where her son was ultimately found, but believes officers did not search the bushes thoroughly before relatives returned and discovered his body.

A missing person poster said Cartwright was last seen around 8.30am on July 19 at CBS Bahamas, his workplace in Southwest Plaza.

His mother said he usually finished work around 5.30pm and took about 30 minutes to skateboard home. She became alarmed when he failed to return and did not respond to her messages.

Ms Francois said she reported him missing but was frustrated after being told the process would take another 24 hours.

“I said he’d already been 25 hours he’s been missing,” she said. “Y’all have to move faster than that.”

The search ended last Thursday when Cartwright’s nephew found his body in bushes near the track road.

Ms Francois said her son had often spoken about the area and that she told police they should search it.

“I even mentioned it to the police officer that they can go and check it,” she said. “But like I said, Monday they didn't see anything. They didn't really check the bush.”

She said officers appeared to have driven near the track road without entering the bushes. Relatives later returned to the area and began calling Cartwright’s name.

His nephew ran into the bushes and found him, remaining there in shock until other family members urged him to come out.

Ms Francois remembered her son as hardworking, ambitious and constantly looking for new ways to earn money.

“My son, to me, was a fun person I tell you, just hardworking, always want to achieve something,” she said. “He always wanted to do something else on the side to make more more money.”

Cartwright was a skilled painter and was willing to scale the exterior walls of tall buildings for work. His mother said he once sent her a photograph taken from so high above the ground that people below appeared as small as ants.

He was also developing a business renting decorative lights for parties and other events because he wanted to pursue an idea that differed from more common ventures involving balloons.

Shortly before his disappearance, he asked his mother for a drill for another side project.

Ms Francois said Cartwright’s various work ventures had encountered difficulties, leaving him struggling to get back on his feet.

“He started to do a lot of different jobs and everything crumbled,” she said. “To get back on his feet, I think it was a struggle, and he probably didn't want to face all of that.”

She said Cartwright had been diagnosed with schizophrenia this year but remained determined to work and pursue his ambitions.

He attended a medical appointment on the Friday before he disappeared. Ms Francois said she left the session unhappy and intends to examine what occurred.

“That session was not good and that’s something I’m going to look into because I didn’t like the session at all,” she said.

Ms Francois questioned a discussion during the appointment about changing how frequently her son received medication. She said medical professionals should have acted immediately if he appeared to be speaking irrationally.

She said she felt uneasy after the appointment and feared something might happen before Cartwright returned to work that Sunday.

The rain that morning prompted her to offer him a ride, giving her an unexpected opportunity to prepare his breakfast and spend time with him before work.

Before dropping him off, she told him not to eat anything heavy because she planned to cook dinner later that day.

“I said, ‘Antonio, don’t eat anything heavy. Mommy’s going to cook today,’” she recalled. “But this time, he didn’t say anything back.”

Ms Francois said the morning had otherwise been pleasant. She now believes the rain gave her one final opportunity to care for and see her son.

She also viewed the way Cartwright left his skateboard neatly on the lawn as a possible farewell and a sign that he was at peace.

“To this day, I still can't believe it,” she said. “I feel like he could walk through the door, but I know he's gone.”