15-year-old boy charged for chopping woman

by Audwin Andrews

Still in pain and shock, Coleena Hepburn is thankful to God that she is alive for her three children, following a chopping incident which left her with 29 stitches to the right side of her head.{{more}}

The Green Hill, Barrouallie resident sat down with SEARCHLIGHT yesterday and explained what happened almost a week ago.

She explained that she had just awakened when she came face to face with her attacker.

“Wednesday morning, I had just woken up and he was outside my bedroom door. As I opened the door, that was it. One chop in my head and he kept on chopping. By trying to block the chops, I got my finger chopped as well. It was hanging by piece of skin…”

The woman explained that from struggling with the young man, she was able to grab him from behind, but was still unable to fend him off.

“I didn’t let go. I called my daughter to open the kitchen door and seeing me with the blood running from my head and hand, I could see she was frightened.

Hepburn received two chops to her head. One of the chops measured 4 inches long, while the other was 5 inches in length.

“I, however, held him there because I had my other young child on the bed sleeping,” she added.

Still in pain and in bed at the time of SEARCHLIGHT’s visit, she explained that the struggle with her attacker continued to the kitchen door, at which point she asked her daughter to open the door.

This is when the 11-year-old received a chop to her head from the assailant.

“He was fighting back and he swung his hand with the cutlass and chopped her (Lennese), but eventually, we got to the kitchen door and I shouted for help from the neigbours and that is when they came and assisted me.

“I thank them all very much.”

According to the 34-year-old mother of three, she was attacked because she made a report to the police about her daughter’s laptop which had been stolen.

“I went to the police station

to report the matter, and find out who stole it (laptop). It was then his step-father told me he had it.

“I went with the police and collected it from him.

“When he went to the police station, the police took away a pair of earrings from him and I don’t know if it was because he didn’t get back his earrings, why he acted that way.”

Admittedly still terrified, Hepburn said she had heard rumours around the neighbourhood of the assailant saying “he wants to go to jail and tomorrow is case day and I will kill the two of them.

“I didn’t take it for anything, because I didn’t press charges against him at the time, so I don’t know what case he was talking about.”

Hepburn said she had accidentally left one of her windows open the night before the incident, which made it possible for the young man to enter her home.

“He climbed through the window and was outside my bedroom waiting.

“God was watching over my 1-year and 11 months daughter, because normally, she would come out with me at 6:00 am each morning, but she decided to stay in bed and sleep that morning,” she said.

Hepburn says she is still in pain and has to continuously take pain killers, but she is thankful that she is alive.

Eleven-year-old Lennese has had to stay away from school since the incident, but her mother says she will return to school today (Tuesday), as she is now medically fit to do so.

Police have arrested and charged a 15-year-old boy of Barrouallie for the attempted murder of Coleena and her daughter Lennese.