TEEN ROBBED OF CHANCE TO ACHIEVE DREAMS - Mom can’t find money to bury boy who was run over by cop’s car

Lacy-Ann Duhaney turns 31 today, but the Clifton, St Catherine, resident is not in a celebratory mood. Her 13-year-old son, Tyrice Williams, was mowed down by a car driven by a policeman as he went to fetch a ball that was kicked across the road by two smaller boys on July 5. The incident took place along the Bernard Lodge main road in the parish.

Her pain was almost tangible when THE STAR visited her on Monday. With tear-filled eyes, she struggled to come to terms with the sudden death of her son. "Tyrice didn't deserve to die like this. He was a kind little boy. He and his friend were playing marble while two smaller ones were playing football. The ball went across the road and him tell them that him will cross the road and go for it. Two cars stop and one of the drivers say he even told her thanks. The other vehicle never stop, him go round the rest a cars and kill mi son," she said.

If grieving for her son is not enough, the distraught mother said she is unable to fund his funeral, which she estimates will cost of $250,000.

"I need help to bury him and legal advice on what step to take because all now nobody don't reach out to me, except INDECOM. Even if and when dem come, them a guh come with dem big encyclopaedia word dem and try push down things down mi throat.

"Mi did waah bury him August 18 but mi nuh see how it a guh possible because I don't have any money," she added.

Duhaney told THE STAR that the driver of the vehicle that hit her son had not reached out to her to even offer his condolences.

"Not even an apology. Only thing I know is a police. but I don't know his rank or anything," she said.

The policeman was driving without a licence and his private motor vehicle was not licensed or insured.

Meanwhile, Duhaney described the teenager as being very mannerable and was one who always tried to beat the odds.

"Tyrice was more than a people person. Over 600 persons live in this community and everyone know him. I never get a complaint about that child. If him pass yuh 10 times, him greet you 20. He suffered from asthma and chronic constipation, and although he should not play sports, he would still participate behind my back and even win races," she said.

She added that the youngster was family-oriented and had big dreams.

"Sometimes when mi fi go work and don't have any money, Tyrice would pick off everybody ackee and sell them so mi can get fare. He was a loving child. Him always tell mi that he was going to become somebody big in life and take care of his family. He had a lot of dreams but he was robbed of the chance to achieve them," Duhaney said. .

Persons wishing to assist Lacy-Ann Duhaney may contact her at 876-449-916 1.