Painful Thanksgiving for mother of slain teen

Thanksgiving was once the favourite holiday for Nadine McKenzie and her daughter Shamoya.

But this year, McKenzie has dodged the family festivities and travelled from her New York home to Jamaica, the land of her birth. The US holiday has not been the same following the tragic death of Shamoya, who was her only child.

"Everyone of my family is going to be there because there is going to be a lot of crying for Shamoya and then I am going to cry. My daughter loved Thanksgiving and she would wake up before everyone just to peel the potatoes and help out in the kitchen. It was her favourite holiday because she get to see everyone. Over the years, my family has done a moment of silence for her and share a plate for her but I just can't do it anymore," she said.

On December 31, 2016, Shamoya, 13, was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet while riding through Mount Vernon, New York in her mother's car. Four persons, including members of the Goonies gang, were found guilty and imprisoned for the murder. Three years ago, McKenzie filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the men and others involved in the shooting. Earlier this month, federal magistrate judge Andrew E Krause recommended that McKenzie receive US$9.6 million (approximately J$1.5 billion) in settlement funds. She stated that the recommendations won't ease her pain, but will send a strong message that 'you cannot just kill someone and get away with it'.

"Those millions cannot bring back my daughter. I would give that up and just about everything I have just for Shamoya to be here with me. That money cannot take away what happened to my daughter but I appreciate the gesture," she said. McKenzie said that, after Shamoya's killers were sentenced, she filed a civil suit, with the state among the defendants.

"It was a horrific day as, when my daughter got shot and the police came, some of them were saying that I came to the area to buy drugs. I am a public notary and at the time I was working for CHASE bank for nine years. Instead of putting me in the ambulance with my daughter, they did not. They took me to an interrogation room instead. My child died and I wasn't by her side because I was being interrogated," she said.

She tapped her fingers on a table, recalling how she screamed uncontrollably as she watched blood run from her daughter's nose and mouth.

"I thought she was goofing around when she leaned over to me and say 'Mommy' then I saw blood everywhere. I prayed to God for my daughter to live and I asked God why He didn't answer my prayer. It was hard but I had to heal and asked God for forgiveness for Shamoya's killers. The shot wasn't intended for her but, at the same time, they were about to kill someone else. Their target got a shot in his shoulder, one of the bullet missed and the other killed my daughter," she said. McKenzie admitted that while she does not think she's 'better', she is stronger.

"There were times when I had severe panic attacks. I got hypertension and I became isolated. One of the times, my house burned down and only Shamoya's room was spared. I met in an accident and I was just depressed," McKenzie added. She was represented by Steven Drummond of Drummond & Squillace, PLLC. He said Shamoya had all the indications of being a promising young person.

"Tomorrow (today) is Thanksgiving and I know this time period is hard for Ms McKenzie, as she doesn't have her daughter with her. This money will not bring back her precious daughter but it will offer her financial comfort," he said.

"Shamoya was very loved by her school and community. It is a tragic loss across the board on so many different levels. Her killers caused pain for a lifetime and we will be watching them and, any money they come across, Ms McKenzie will get it," he said.