Mother of 5 stabbed to death on way to report man to cops

Adana Stacy Dick was on her way to the St Margaret’s police station to report a domestic violence dispute on Tuesday night when a male relative stabbed her to death.

A passerby heard a woman, later identified as Dick, let out blood-curdling screams and anonymously contacted police. who immediately responded. They found her body near a bus shed at the Southern Main Road opposite Christian Drive in Plaisance Park. The killer had already left.

Up to Wednesday afternoon, the 47-year-old suspect remained on the run. He is thefather of 11 and lives at Cedar Hill in Claxton Bay

For the past few months, Dick had been renting an apartment at Christian Drive. She lived with her five children, aged two to 14.

One of the suspect’s relatives told Newsday that Dick called her during a heated argument with the suspect on Tuesday night. Dick said she was going to the police station to report him.

That was the last conversation they had. She only managed to walk a short distance before she was killed.

Relatives told Newsday that Dick had been subjected to "all forms of abuse" by the suspect. They could not confirm if she had reported them to the police.

Dick’s mother, Beverly James, appeared to be in a daze while speaking to Newsday on Wednesday at Plaisance Park.

James said from around 8 am on Tuesday she had been speaking to Dick by phone. She was concerned for Dick’s safety and warned her to be careful, considering the violent protests in the capital. Dick worked at a store in Carenage.

"When I called her in the morning, she was already on her way to work. I did not want her to get caught up. In the afternoon, she had problems leaving Port of Spain. A friend, who lives in the south, gave her a drop.

"I was talking to her for the whole day," James said.

"I got the call around 10 pm. I always listen to the news and I never imagined that one day I will be in it for this. She was hard-working and a great cook. On Sunday, this kitchen is pumping."

An autopsy was expected to be done on Wednesday.

Newsday contacted Adriana Sandrine Rattan, president of the International Women's Resource Network (IWRN), for comments on the murder. Rattan later issued a media release saying there is a need for more serious attention to domestic abuse.

"The IWRN continues to plead with women and families to become more serious in treating all incidents of domestic abuse and to also reveal full details of the abuse, as incidents can only be properly addressed with complete disclosure," the release said.

She called on abused victims and family members to begin to view all types of abuse as serious, whether emotional, financial or physical.

"The organisation bemoans that without appropriate interventions and assistance, any type of domestic abuse would become worse particularly if the root causes are ignored and not addressed in a timely manner," the release said.

Fear for perpetrators must stop, she said on behalf of IWRN, suggesting that victims seek special guidance in such instances.

Once partners begin to display abusive tendencies either verbally or physically, victims and relatives have a responsibility to urgently discuss such issues, someone, they trust.

The person they confided in, she said, ought to be willing to embark on the necessary interventions such as counselling, or if very serious, to contact the police.

Rattan is urging victims and family members to contact IWRN’s hotline at 268-6078 or visit its Facebook page.

People can also call 999 and asked to be transferred to the police Gender-Based Violence Unit.