Racquel was my companion, my sunshine – Mother

Rochelle Ashton considered her daughter Racquel a close companion and friend.

“She was my sunshine. Me and she had a close relationship together. We were very close, she was my princess.{{more}}

“When I am going through a lot, she was always there for me; she would say hold the faith,” Rochelle told SEARCHLIGHT with a sad smile on her face on Wednesday, during a visit by SEARCHLIGHT to the stunned community of Fancy.

“She was a nice person, very friendly and respectful,” Rochelle said of her 18-year-old daughter.

The fifth form student of the Georgetown Secondary School was scheduled to sit six subjects in this year’s CSEC examinations, an accomplishment that the entire family circle was proud of, and was looking forward to her achieving passes in all subjects.

“On Sunday my grandfather was talking to her and he tell she ‘ I always does pray for you. Study your book and you must study hard and make your mommy and daddy proud and come out somebody good. I would glad if you could get all your subjects that you could work for your own money and buy what you want…’.”

That was not to be.

“That same Sunday we went to church and me and she sit on the same bench and I never see she sing so. I say ‘Racquel how you so joyous’.’’

Racquel’s body was plucked from the sea by persons on the rocky shore, about 400 feet from where the bodies of Glenroy Michael, Jamal and Jamalie Edwards were retrieved.

The bodies of Chanstacia Stay and Simonique Ballantyne were, up to press time still missing and unaccounted for.

Up until Thursday evening, members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Coast Guard and civilian divers were still searching.(JJ)