Relative of murdered teen: Be your brother's keeper

BE your brother's keeper!

This was the message of Lisa Riley, aunt of murdered teenager Ashanti Riley.

Riley spoke at the family’s Lloyd Street, San Juan home on Saturday at the start of a motorcade entitled Drive for Justice which ended outside the Parliament.

She said community spirit needed to be rekindled where neighbours looked out for each other. Her sister and Ashanti’s mother, Candice, said the purpose of the motorcade was to bring awareness and an end to violence against women.

The motorcade was co-ordinated by MP for San Juan/Barataria Saddam Hosein, who told Sunday Newsday that he wants primary school boys to be taught how to treat girls in a bid to curtail the culture of male abusers.

Speaking outside the Parliament on Saturday evening, during a candle light vigil, Hosein said the vigil represented the light of Ashanti and the nation must not forget her death.

CCTV footage from businesses and homes in the area showed Riley, 18, getting into a blue Nissan Almera from her Lloyd Street, Sunshine Avenue home on November 29. She was heading to San Juan to visit her grandmother for her birthday.

Five days later, her nude, decomposing body was found in a stream at La Canoa, Santa Cruz.

She died from sharp force injuries to the right chest and lower abdomen, and blunt force trauma to the back of the left chest according to her autopsy.

During the motorcade, drivers displayed posters that read – Stop violence against women; My body is not you property; Do not touch me; and End rape culture.

Gathered outside the Parliament, Jane Rivers and her husband Sheldon Stephens along with their five children, came to support. Rivers said her cousin Chrissy-Ann Rivers was murdered last year. Adriel Hackett, an ex-boyfriend, is charged with her killing.

“I am here to support because my family went through this as well. I have two daughters. We need the support of our men. We need them to protect us.”

Prior to the motorcade, Lisa Riley called for more stringent laws to address violence against women. Her sentiments were echoed outside the Parliament by Hosein, who had the approval of those gathered, mostly women.

“As we light the candles, it is as though we are lighting the candle for the nation to ensure that the death of Ashanti does not go in vain. Her death should be the change for all other women in this country so that no other woman or girl will have to go through what Ashanti went through.”

Hosein said he was disappointed in the man who attacked and killed her. A 32-year-old PH driver has been charged with murdering her and will appear virtually before a magistrate on Monday.

“We must ensure citizens of this country that women will be allowed to protect themselves. It is time that we stand up and protect the women of this country.”

He said the motorcade will not be the last and called on those gathered to remember Ashanti’s mother on Christmas Day.

Ashanti will be buried on Monday following a ceremony at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mt Dor.