BY CAROL MATROO Saturday, June 14 2008

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Farewell my son: Clyde Jones, father of Anthony Jones and grandfather of five-month-old Zion, (in square-patterned shirt) caresses his son's face duri...

The same way five-month-old Zion Jones was shot and killed, is the same way the baby was laid to rest...in his father’s arms.

Zion succumbed to gunshot wounds at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, last Sunday, after a gunman opened fire on his father, Anthony Jones, 25, on Saturday night while they were in a taxi. It was reported that Jones, who died at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, was taking his baby to his girlfriend’s home at Chaconia Drive, Morvant, when the tragedy occurred.

There was not a dry eye during the funeral service of father and son at the Day Break Assembly, Poinsettia Coconut Drive, Morvant yesterday.

Emotions ran high and cries of anguish rang out through the church as mourners viewed the bodies. Baby Zion, dressed in white, lay in the crook of his father’s arm as they lay in a single casket. Zion’s mother, Sherdeena Durant, screamed out for her “Fatman”, a nickname given to Zion because he was a chubby baby.

“Where my Fatman? Bring back my Fatman,” Durant wailed as she was restrained by a relative.

Muffled sobs were heard throughout the church as the pain of the double tragedy hit home.

Zion’s maternal grandmother, Beatrice Webster, who delivered the eulogy, said she admired his father Anthony because “he was a calm and peaceful person.”

“There is nothing that I would not have done or given to Anthony,” she said.

Speaking about her grandson, Webster said Zion was a special child who was brought into their lives for a purpose.

“The time he spent with us was special, but the enemy was after the child for a long time. We are living in dangerous times and it is our duty as parents to pray. What has happened has made me stronger and I am going to continue to fight the good fight, because God is still good,” she said, adding that Zion had just cut one tooth.

Zion’s aunt, Andra Jones, bid farewell to her nephew with a poem, which questioned why the child was killed with the lines, “I owed no debt, yet you took what God gave me” and “Do you have any regret? You never gave me a chance to take my first step.”

Pastor Ricky Mc Clatchie, who conducted the service, said the country needed divine intervention because a killer was prowling the land.

“When he comes he is not coming to steal your toothbrush, he is coming to steal something more valuable, but something good will come out of this. Our God does not ‘bep’ (sleep).

“When the time comes and your number is called, you can’t change that because there is no Privy Council or Court of Appeal. The decision is final.”

During his pastoral sermon, Mc Clatchie said funeral services should cause people to take a better look at life.

While viewing the bodies, several relatives fainted and had to be laid on pews. Jones’ father collapsed in grief outside in the church yard.

“Oh, God! I want my son. My only one son,” he screamed as relatives tried to comfort him.

One of Jones’ friend had to be held back as he reached for him in the casket. Shaking his head and beating on his chest, he refused to accept Jones’ death.

Several people, including children, wore jerseys with a print of Jones and Zion which read “RIP.”