Mystery surrounds teen’s death

A St Ann family is struggling to come to terms with the loss of one of their own, who died under mysterious circumstances.

The deceased, 16-year-old Palia Brown, died at the May Pen Hospital last Thursday, seven days after she asked her mother to take her to the doctor.

Her father, Ronald Brown, 59, said that Palia was suffering excruciating pain before she passed away.

"She deh here a bawl for her belly until she all a beg a belt to tie up her belly to how she feel and she a blow short and when she vomit it stink," he cried.

Brown, from Douglas Castle, St Ann, said Palia had been staying in Murray Mountain since August, but called her mother on Thursday, November 12, complaining of feeling ill.

Condition worsened

"So her mother tell her to meet her at St Ann's Bay Hospital the Friday morning and when she go, them test her and thing and send her home back," he said. But according to Brown, Palia's condition worsened.

"Friday and Saturday she was here sick, not eating or drinking and barely a talk for days. So we decide to bring her to a church on the Monday to get prayer because she a spit and vomit blood," he said. "Nothing never change and Wednesday night we end up bring her to May Pen Hospital and them admit her."

The following day, the family received the most devastating news; Palia had passed away.

"All now me still in shock. Me can't even mange to look on her. All now me don't go down a the hospital because is my daughter and I love her so much and to see her in a state like that it rough," Brown said. "Even if we vex is never for long because she a go come and friend me up. Sometimes she go on the road go buy all biscuit and food for me and when she come back you hear her shout 'daddy me buy something for you' and she all pull it for me and try feed me, enuh."

He added, "She always say she wanted to become at teacher, she wanted to be something to come help mommy and daddy because she see how much we struggle and she said she wouldn't want to come as poor as we are."

The disheartened father said that at this point, he is left with more questions than answers. "Right now it a go take me a time to really sort out and come back to myself," he added.