The bravery of two young people facing the wrath of a spurned,
machete wielding man has saved the life of their mother who was
attacked at her home near Moneague, St Ann.
The man who had made advances toward the woman earlier in the
day, Sunday, October 28, was found dead, Monday, apparently a
suicide victim, following his attack on the woman.
Dead is 65-year-old Errol Slew, also called Slewy, farmer, whose
body was found in a tank close to his home in Gibraltar District, on
Monday, October 29.
Wounded is Trudy Grant, 35, shop attendant, also of Gibraltar near
Moneague.
Some people believe Ms Grant has two of her children to thank for
her life today as they fought off the machete wielding attacker who
also used a knife to inflict wounds to her.
Ms Grant received several wounds to the head, neck and body.
Reports are that Ms Grant rented an apartment from Mr Slew in
Gibraltar. She lived in a section of the house with two of her children
and he lived in another section of the house.
LAST DRINK
It is reported that on Sunday morning Slew went to the shop, asked
her for money and expressed romantic sentiments to her at which time
she gave him money and turned him away, saying that she had no
such feelings or intentions toward him. It is reported he left in a huff.
However, late Sunday afternoon, October 28, Slew again went to the
shop where Ms Grant works and ordered a drink of rum. He told her it
was the last drink he was having from her as he was going away.
Ms Grant reportedly did not think much of the remarks.
About 10 o’clock, accompanied by her a son, Akiel Lowe, Ms Grant
was entering her yard when Slew jumped from bushes and launched
the surprise attack. Lowe received a wound to the hand and ran
toward the house where his sister, Shantel Anderson who was on the
phone was shocked to see “blood spewing from his hand”. She said
she tried to find out what happened but he was incoherent.
When she looked out toward the gate she could see her mother
wrestling with Slew who had a machete. Ms Grant fell, after being
chopped with the machete.
THROAT CUT
Slew took out a knife and put it to her throat but her son and daughter
went to her rescue. Shantel pulled Slew off Ms Grant, ripping away
his clothes.
Akiel used the shovel to hit Slew in the forehead. It is that blow that
moved the knife away from his mother’s neck as Slew fell back. They
told their mother to run and she went through the bushes.
Slew ran.
For a short while there was panic as Akiel and Shantel could not find
their mother. They soon found her lying in the roadway, bleeding
badly.
The two young adults stopped a taxi and asked to be taken to St Ann’s
Bay. Meantime they used their own bloodied clothing as tourniquets
around her wounds.
The taxi took them to the Moneague JDF camp where first aid was
given and soldiers took Ms Grant to St Ann’s Bay hospital, half an
hour away.
She was treated, kept overnight and sent home. Her family members
say she was not in a condition to be sent home. “She is doing better,”
daughter Shantel Anderson told the North Coast Times Saturday.
She said her mother was taken to the Moneague Clinic Friday for
dressing and care.
On Monday, October 29, after the attack Sunday evening, Mr Slew’s
body was found floating in a St Ann Municipal Corporation water
tank, near his home in Gibraltar. The machete used in the attack was
found on the edge of the tank. Police later took a knife from his
pocket.
The matter of the attack was mentioned in Parliament by MP for the
area Lisa Hannah who described the attack as vicious. She was
arguing for measures to help people settle disputes without violence.
