The quiet district of Bugs Bunny in Lilliput, St James, has been left in mourning after the tragic death of 13-year-old Twaine Jaheem Skyers, a second-form student at Hopewell High School in Hanover.
The teen’s body was discovered Thursday evening inside a bathroom at his home, where he had reportedly locked himself in after being punished for returning home late from school. Police are treating the incident as a suspected case of suicide.
When our news team visited the community on Friday, grief and shock were evident among relatives and neighbors. One family member, struggling to come to terms with the circumstances leading to Twaine’s death, expressed regret over the punishment he received.
“If I had known that the beating he got would have led to this, I would have stopped it,” said the relative, who requested anonymity.
According to family members, Twaine lived with his mother and aunt and was disciplined on Thursday for not meeting a 5:00 p.m. curfew. Classes at Hopewell High end at 2:40 p.m., and he was expected to be home on time. However, on that day, he did not arrive until after 6:00 p.m. Reports indicate that this was not the first time he had missed the set deadline.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., his mother discovered him unresponsive in the shower. Overcome with grief, she was unable to speak with reporters, despite efforts by relatives and community members to comfort her.
Twaine’s aunt, Val Rose, remembered him as a cheerful, protective child who was well loved.
“He was a jovial little boy who loved to play, especially with girls,” she said. “He was very protective of his mom and me. If he heard anyone raising their voice at us, he would step in and say, ‘Leave my mom or my aunt alone.’”
Rose added that Twaine’s mother was devoted to him and often placed his needs above her own.
“He was her only child, and she spoiled him. She had money saved to tile the house, but instead, she used it to buy him expensive shoes. She once bought him a $15,000 school bag, and when he gave it away to another child, she still bought him another one.”
Yesterday, Reverend Sherion McDonald-Small of the Lilliput New Testament Church visited the family to provide spiritual support.
“For a mother to lose her only child, I can’t even imagine that pain,” the Reverend said. “I am here to offer empathy, sympathy, and prayer. They must be given the freedom to grieve and express themselves, and we must learn to comfort them in this difficult time.”
Administrators at Hopewell High confirmed Twaine’s enrollment but said they were unable to comment further without clearance from the Ministry of Education.
Meanwhile, some residents of the community have questioned the strict curfew set for the teenager, pointing out that the 23-mile commute from his school to Lilliput involved three separate bus rides Hopewell Square to Montego Bay, Montego Bay to Lilliput, plus waiting times making the 5:00 p.m. deadline difficult to meet.