By Bibi Khatoon
A family is trying to come to grips with the death of their 17-year-old son and brother, Jhamallie Niles.
“To lose one now, this time, 17 years old, is very touchy for me…is very hard,” his 45-year-old father, Anthony Niles said.
The 17-year-old Mechanic, who also assisted his father with selling bottled water, was struck down at approximately 20:40hrs on October 14, 2017, by motorcar PRR 7624, just after he crossed the road on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown.
The eldest brother, Trefton Barker said his brother ventured onto the roadway on Saturday evening and himself and another brother decided to go in search of him. It was on their arrival at the public road that they noticed a crowd gathered opposite the John Fernandes container terminal and went to investigate.
“My buddy [brother] said ‘look a crowd like it get a fight over the road, leh (let) we go and check it out if he’s there’ and we go and see we lil buddy lifeless on the ground,” Barker said.
The brothers picked up Jhamallie and placed him in the back of a Guyana Defence Force pickup and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Another brother, Jacasey Niles told News Room that the teen had already crossed the road when the car driven by 35-year-old Lennox DeNobrega of Church Street, Georgetown, undertook another car and struck him.
“Me lil buddy done past this white line, once you pass the white line, this is the corner. So the speed wuh he coming with, he couldn’t over take, so he undertake, and the speed wuh he coming with, when he raise up he head, he done knock me lil buddy and pitch he away,” Jacasey recounted.
The teen suffered a fractured skull, broken hands and feet and a broken neck, the family said.
However, the family believes the police are taking too long to deal with the matter. The driver was taken into custody on the night of the accident and subsequently released. It was disclosed that the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the police are awaiting a response to move forward.
The family told News Room that DeNobrega visited the home earlier today and offered assistance. He also expressed regret over the incident.
