‘Georgie’ killed at home

WHEN gunshots rang out at Chin Kit Street in Cap-de-Ville early Tuesday morning, some residents initially assumed the sound came from mangoes falling from trees and hitting rooftops. But hours later, at daybreak, they found the body of 50-year-old Hayden “Georgie” Critchlow, on a couch at his home on a track off the street. Critchlow had been shot in the face and chest.

His mother, Philomen Critchlow, spoke with Newsday on Tuesday in front of his home and recalled receiving the tragic news hours earlier.

“Some residents thought the noise was mangoes falling on houses. Others did not think it happened so close. At around 6 am, they saw his windows open, which was unusual. Then they saw his body.

“He was shot in the face and chest on a couch. I saw the body. It seemed like he was watching TV when it happened. His head was down and his foot on the couch. People say they heard him saying ‘Oh God, oh God,’ at about 1 am when the shots rang out.”

As she sat on a chair at the front of his yard, she gazed at his house. She said he was a father “of many” and lived alone. He worked at the health department at the Point Fortin Borough Corporation. She lives at Fanny Village, Point Fortin, and immediately went to her son’s home on hearing about the killing.

“I got the call early,” Philomen said. She said she did not know why anyone wanted him dead, since as far as she was aware, he did not have any enemies.

Police from Homicide Bureau Region III and Point Fortin visited and searched for evidence. No one has been arrested and police are yet to establish a motive for the killing. It was the second such tragedy for the Critchlow family. In May last year, Philomen’s nephew David “Fitz” Critchlow, 35, was among three people gunned down in Penal.