Belvedere mother in pain after losing youngest child

While Daisy Lewis feels a measure of guilt about the death of her youngest child, the local art world mourns the loss of one who has been described as “a national treasure”.{{more}}

Two days after celebrating her 46th birthday, Belvedere resident Jennifer Lewis was shot and killed, in what some believe to be a burglary attempt.

Lewis, an artist and educator, suffered a gunshot wound to her chest, sometime after 3:00 on the morning of Sunday, June 17.

Lewis was at home alone with her 88-year-old mother, when she was shot.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT from the home of her temporary caretaker in Brighton, Daisy, who says that she feels responsible for her daughter not being around today, indicated that Jennifer came home to St Vincent, just over a year ago, to look after her ailing parents.

“It’s because of me and her father why she is down here; her father was in a (nursing) home and I couldn’t keep him.

“And she wanted to take me up to England and I tell her that England is so cold, I don’t want to go there and I don’t want to go in a home,” she recalled, as she fought to hold back her tears.

“She went and asked for her stay, and when they ask her why she wanted to stay, she told them because her father is in a home and I am ill and living on my own; so they gave her her stay,” she added.

Jennifer’s dad died in March this year.

Recounting the final moments of her daughter’s life, Daisy related that both of them were in bed early Sunday morning, when they heard a noise in the living room, which sounded like the scratching of the wire mesh which covered the window in that room.

She said that Jennifer got up and went to investigate the noise, but then came back to the room when she didn’t see anything.

“While we were there lying down, we heard the dog barking. Jennifer got up and say ‘mom, hear how the dog barking’. She go out and by the time she go out, I hear ‘bodow, bodow ‘ through the sitting room window. I come off the bed and I go out and she go to the kitchen; there is where she drop and died.”

Daisy told SEARCHLIGHT that she tried to call the police, but in the panic, was not able to locate the number for the Calliaqua Police Station, which was written on a piece of paper.

She said that she tried to call for help, but her soft voice was not heard by neighbours.

It was not until another two hours or so, that one of the neighbours, who had come out for an early morning walk, saw Daisy in the porch and alerted the police.

This is not the first time that an attempt had been made by persons to break into the Lewis home.

Some time ago, when Daisy was there by herself, a person or persons attempted to enter the house, but ran away when confronted by the ailing woman.

It was also for this reason that Jennifer came home.

The mother of three said that although she had been encouraged by her other daughters, who reside in the United Kingdom, to ‘cheer’ up, she still hurts for her youngest, whom she believes made the ultimate sacrifice for her sake.

“Jennifer was a genuine person who always loved her mom and dad… and she didn’t want to go back to England and leave me and that is why I feel it.

“God bless the one who shot innocent Jennifer; she hasn’t done anyone any harm,” Daisy mourned.

Meanwhile, the local art fraternity continues to mourn the death of Lewis, which came as a shock to all.

Persons who knew Lewis, described her as a quiet and gentle individual, and are asking why anyone would want to hurt her.

A professional painter and sculptor, with a BA in jewelry design, Lewis was associated with a number of non-governmental organizations here, and imparted her skills to others through a programme with the Adult and Continuing Education Unit.

Band leader of SVG Players International Julian Pilling Pollard, who called Lewis “a national treasure”, said that he is still trying to come to grips with the tragedy.

“I spoke to her on Saturday and she was supposed to come to the mas tent on Sunday. Sunday was a heartbreaker for me.

“She was really talented; really special. I have never met anybody with that much talent,” Pollard pointed out.

Lewis worked with the band last year on their presentation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which won the Queen of the Bands title.

She was currently working on the King of the Bands presentation for this year.

Lewis was also involved in the local pottery program, and was described by Conroy Dyer, the program’s leader, as a very talented and gifted artist, who once she committed herself to a project, saw it through to the end.

“She was very free spirited, kind-hearted and always willing to help,” Dyer said, adding that she was an excellent team player.

Lewis’ art and pottery may be seen in a number of buildings around Kingstown, including the newly opened headquarters of the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

At the time of her death, she was working on more pieces for the Bank, as well as for an exhibition she had hoped to stage here.

Her blog sites says that she had intended to set up an arts and crafts retreat here in St Vincent.