Murder over car repair

A La Brea family is calling for peace and for families to live in unity after one of their cousins killed another during a domestic dispute on Tuesday night.

Security guard Adana Simmons, 28, died at the Point Fortin Hospital, where she was taken by ambulance. A cousin who allegedly stabbed her with a pair of compasses was treated for blows and remains in police custody.

Relatives spoke to the Newsday, but did not want to be identified. One of them, who identified himself only as “Bob,” said the suspect had been feuding with the rest of the family for years over property their grandmother left at her death. He said the situation escalated over a car accident and refusal to pay $1,000 to have the vehicle repaired. Bob said approximately one and a half months ago, the suspect, the mother of four, rear-ended Simmon’s B14 car, damaging the bumper.

“Adana had recently done a paint job on her vehicle. Being cousins, they decided not to go to the police station, but resolve the matter themselves.”

He said Simmons took the car to a straightener, who estimated the cost at $1,000.

“Her cousin felt this was too much to pay, and after waiting for more than a month, Adana got fed up. On Tuesday night, when she saw her cousin coming home, she approached her to ask her to keep her promise to have the car repaired.”

The cousins all live in family homes on Freeling and Queen Streets, La Brea.

“There was an argument. Adana slapped her cousin and her cousin slapped her back. There was a scuffle and during the struggle, the suspect pulled out a protractor (sic) – the one with the two points from a geometry set – and stabbed Adana in her foot, hand, chest, and back. The back stab appeared to be the fatal blow.”

Bob said he called the police and an ambulance, which left Mt Hope to get to La Brea and picked up both victim and suspect. The suspect was searched by police, who confiscated the “weapon.” Both were taken to the Point Fortin Hospital, where Simmons was pronounced dead around 1 am on Wednesday.

“She get killed over stupidness. There is a lot of jealousy and fightdown taking place. This family thing going on for a long time, since my grandmother died and left these properties for her 11 children. But one child and her family want all.

“We need to live as one, because at the end of the day, we all have to die and leave everything behind.”

Simmons’s sister, who was only willing to give her name as Safiya, echoed her cousin’s sentiments.

“If you are having problems, talk it out and get help, advice. Talking helps. Lots of things could be prevented if you talk, instead of holding it in your mind and look(ing) for revenge.

“The best thing is for everybody to live as one and in peace.

“To know your own family member could do such a thing is heartbreaking. No one has the right to take another person’s life, because you cannot give life. That was just wrong.

“It could have been a normal fight with a hit in the head, cuff in the back – but it did not have to end with my sister getting multiple ‘chook.’ I could understand she get one to calm her down, but multiple?”

Safiya said she could not erase the image of her sister lying in a pool of blood, gasping for air and crying out in pain.

She said she was a quiet person who spent most of her time indoors.

“She was never outside after hours, it just happen she was outside on Tuesday night.

“She was not a relationship person. She did not like stress or people talking in her head. She did not run down friends. She confided only in family. She was a very nice person, loving, and one who would go the distance for you, give you the very best advice.”

Enquiries are continuing.