Woman puzzled as fiancé dies in hospital

Instead of making wedding plans with her fiance, a Wilton Gardens, Kingston, resident said she is now faced with the painful task of planning his funeral.

Sitting in her community on Thursday, Katie Brown's voice trembled as she questioned how her spouse Michael Adams died. The 23-year-old, who was being held at the Denham Town Police Station on murder charges, died at the Kingston Public Hospital on October 7. He was admitted on October 4.

"All now I don't know how him dead because him leave go in a jail healthy. Only thing him trouble with is little asthma and is not that kill him. All this is mysterious. A three and a half years we are together and we were planning to get married. Is last year on October 7 we get engaged and him dead October 7 this year," Brown said.

Adams, more commonly known as 'Blacks', was featured on the police's Wanted Wednesday page in July. He was apprehended in Portland on August 6. THE WEEKEND STAR obtained a copy of Adams' burial certificate that stated that his cause of death was pending lab results. A post-mortem examination was conducted at Tranquillity Funeral Home on Wednesday.

"The last time mi see him was September 22 but him never look okay. Mi know him did want to talk to mi, but because the police was there, him never say anything. Him just never look like himself and him lose weight but mi a say a prob[ably] the stress of being in lock up," she said. "Mi go visit before that and the police a call out him name to come collect him food and mi nuh hear him a ansa. The police come back and tell mi say him weak and can't stand up. Mi go home and go cry."

Brown, 39, said she did not know Adams had been admitted until two days later when she went to the lock-up with water and food.

"Police say 'Adams deh up a hospital' and mi ask why and him say mi must go up there go find out. When mi go to di hospital dem say him wasn't registered in the system and mi must go by the police post. Di police at the post say mi must go back to Denham Town for a letter to give permission. Denham Town tell mi say mi don't need a letter and it was a back and forth ting and the day done and mi never see him for a second or minute. Mi end up carry a change of clothes for him and not even that never go through," Brown said.

She said the following morning, she returned to Denham Town, and, after waiting for a few minutes, she was told that Adams had passed away.

"When dem say him pass, mi ask dem 'Pass go weh?', because Michael couldn't pass the station and gone nowhere. The police repeat again say him pass off and mi keep on a ask dem which part him pass go. Death never once cross mi mind because mi know say him did healthy when him go inna lock-up. When dem say him dead mi ask how dat fi happen and dem get him good good. Same time mi walk outta di station and a di mercy a God carry mi up a mi yard," she said.

Brown said Adams was no angel, but had got baptised earlier this year and was turning his life around.

"Back den before mi know him, him was a in di street yute a do him badness. Since mi and him get involved, him make a turn for the better," she said.