Fair Hall woman stabbed to death by angry mob

Having your daughter savagely attacked by a gang while you watch helplessly, then having her die in your arms is something no parent would wish to experience.

But that is what Beverly DaSilva of Fair Hall went through, as her daughter Simonia DaSilva was brutally murdered, sometime between 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 3 and 12:30 a.m., Monday, September 4.  

Simonia, 23 (born July 29, 1994), became the 24th person killed violently here this year, when she was stabbed at her Fair Hall home during an altercation with a group of young women from the area.

According to Beverly, she and her daughter visited a friend in Rockies on Sunday, then went to Chill Spot, a popular hangout area in Arnos Vale, after which they were driven back to Fair Hall by a friend.

Beverly said that while on their way to Fair Hall, her daughter Crystal telephoned her and asked that they join her at Mom’s Shop, a liming spot not to far from where they live.

She said when they arrived in Fair Hall, she stayed by the car, a few feet away from the shop and Simonia went to see her sister.

Beverly said while they were hanging out, a group of girls came to the area and began “throwing” words at them, but they did not respond.

She said the situation escalated quickly as more persons, including two males joined in the verbal assault and one of them threatened the driver who had brought them to Fair Hall, so he got into his car and left.

Beverly said she and her family decided to walk home, but they were followed by the angry mob and a man and woman became physical with her boyfriend Andre.

“…They started to beat my boyfriend and then he get way and run home and then they started cursing and we were going down home and when we reach by my gap, I hear them say somebody pelting bottle and saying is my boyfriend and they come in the yard and start to fight me and they surround my daughter,” recalled Beverly.

“The girls and dem who kill my daughter end up and been get she surround and I couldn’t even do nothing to say help she. I didn’t even have no weapon nothing,” said Beverly sobbing.

She said the house was pelted with bottles that kept her and her family from being able to help Simonia, and her boyfriend was even wounded by a bottle that struck him in his head when he tried to lend assistance to Simonia. 

“I tried to go down and tell them let she go and I end up get chop on my hand,” said Beverly who added, “Plenty girls about six of them surround she. She get about four stab, two in she chest, one in she back and one on she hand.”

Beverly said when Simonia managed to free herself from the vicious assault, she came to the back door that leads to the kitchen and when they opened the door, Simonia fell down and they saw that she was bleeding profusely from her wounds.

Simonia was rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) but died on the journey in her mother’s arms.

“In the car, the last thing she said was Bev, I can’t breathe, then she ain’t say nothing else again. She died in the vehicle and I didn’t even know she was dead and the doctor, when we put she on the thing and we went in the room said she lips done turn blue,” recalled Beverly while fighting to control her tears.

“We didn’t do them anything, we and them didn’t have nothing. I want to see justice for my child because we didn’t do them anything and they left from where they left from by the shop, and come and fight we in we own home. I trying to go down to try and save she and I didn’t have nothing to defend myself with,” cried Beverly.

She said Simonia was the oldest of her four children and was employed as a time keeper with the Roads, Bridges and General Services Authority (BRAGSA).

Beverly is also of the opinion that if the police had responded quickly, Simonia might not have been killed. She said the police were called to the scene of the crime, but they never saw them and do not know if they came when the family had rushed to the hospital.

Yesterday, several persons were detained at the Calliaqua Police Station in relation to the incident and Beverly said when she went to the station she saw about six of the persons involved in her daughter’s murder sitting on a bench.

“They call themselves ‘The Outlaws’ and sometimes you and them ain’t have nothing and they throwing words for you,” said Beverly.

She said also a police officer told her that some of detainees had wounds and spoke about Simonia having a hammer.

“If she had a hammer wouldn’t one of them have a buss head or something? I had to ask the police if she on them side,” said Beverly.

Shevorn DaSilva, Simonia’s aunt said the attack may have been a result of another incident that took place a few months ago.

“This is not the first time these people have made an attempt on us. Just before carnival, ending of June, we went by the same shop and Simonia was in Virgin Gorda at the time, and the whole gang was in red and one of them had a gun and we left,” said Shevorn who also spoke about an altercation between one of Simonia’s friends and the same group last week Sunday.

“One of the boy and Simonia friend had something last week Sunday and the night of the fight, he was asking for the friend and saying what he would do her,” said Shevorn who added that when they went to the police station and the persons who were detained saw them, they began laughing.

Police are investigating, but up to press time no one had been charged in relation to the incident. An autopsy is expected to be carried out on the deceased.