Death stalks family - Three members die in two months

Lyndon 'Balla' Johnson has no tears left to cry after dealing with the deaths of three family members in two months.

It started with the loss of his mother who passed away on December 1. The tragedies continued yesterday when he learnt of the passing of two other close relatives.

One of them was his cousin Jerome Welch, a 'yard driver' under the employ of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).

He was killed on Sunday night, while driving a taxi in St Andrew.

"A just last week (Saturday, February 1) me bury me mada ... just last week. Den me go pon Facebook and go find out bout dis (Welch's death) today. Den this morning me a get a call from foreign seh me auntie dead. A three death this now, enuh," Johnson said.

Stab wounds

Welch, who was in his late 30s, also worked as a taxi operator. The Constant Spring police revealed that they were alerted about 10 p.m. by a passer-by who reportedly saw a Toyota motor car that had crashed into an embankment. Welch's body was found with multiple stab wounds.

Johnson says it was totally gut wrenching to find out about his cousin's death through social media.

"A Facebook me see it pon, enuh ... yuh nuh must feel a way! A innocent yute just drop out suh ... a young yute weh just a do him thing," he cried.

Welch, who lived in Quarry Hill district, St Catherine, wasn't on active duty at the JUTC, and was only required to move parked buses to maintenance. Previously, he was a bus driver for the 22 and 31 bus routes.

Cecil Thoms, communications director for the JUTC, told THE STAR that the government-run company is mourning the loss.

"We are all appalled by what has taken place. I'm yet to be told specifically the details arriving from that (their investigations). We want to extend condolences to his family, and, of course, his work colleagues," said Thoms.