BY RENAE DIXON Observer staff reporter dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, February 03, 2014
AFTER her son was stabbed 13 times in 2012 and had his lung punctured, Natoya Warren Robinson is not prepared to stand by the third time and look at her son in a hospital bed: she plans to withdraw him from the formal education system.
Robinson made the comment while at the St Ann’s Bay Hospital last Friday, where her son was being treated for knife wounds inflicted at school earlier that day.
“Mi want to pull him out fully,” the mother with teary eyes told the Jamaica Observer.
Brandon Stanley, 16, a grade 10 student, had only resumed classes at the Marcus Garvey Technical High last September after almost one year of being at home.
“Him sit out one year,” Robinson said.
In 2012, Stanley was attacked by a group of boys as he walked in the vicinity of the St Ann’s Bay Cemetery. He was stabbed several times and was rescued by a motorist who took him to the hospital where he had to undergo surgery.
On Friday, he was one of two students taken to the hospital from the school for injuries sustained after being attacked by two other students.
He was cut across the throat and in the chest area, resulting in his receiving 11 stitches, his mother said.
Robinson said that her son told her he was attacked from behind while walking.
Two students who witnessed the attack were treated for panic attack, hospital staff said.
Robinson said that she decided to send her son back to the institution last school term after she failed to get him in another school.
“Mi go all to the ministry,” she said, disclosing that she could not get a transfer for her son.
Reliving what happened in 2012 is very devastating for the mother.
“Mi just can’t deal wid it; mi need a future for my son,” the mother said.
Robinson said that she was told by her son that the 2012 incident was linked to his attackers wanting his phone. However, she theorised it may be more than that. The mother strongly believes that Friday’s attack is linked to the 2012 incident.
“It’s a nightmare to see him in bandage again. Is a horror. Mi reliving what happen a year ago,” the mother lamented.
Robinson said that she was unwilling to send her son back to school. However, wanting him to achieve more than she has in life, she decided that her eldest child should return to school. When she failed to get him into another institution, she sent him back to the same school.
“He is doing so well,” the mother said, anticipating that her son would move on to grade 11 where he would do his CSEC examinations.
The mother said that since her son’s first attack, she has been finding it hard to cope and is remaining strong through her faith in God.
“Mi just come off 14 days of fasting,” the mother disclosed.
Although her son was admitted to the hospital, Robinson was thankful that he is alive.
“Thank God,” she stated.
The mother of two other young children, one and three years old, said that her mother has been a major support throughout both incidents.
“She is a tower of strength,” the traumatised woman stated.
One student was held by the police following Friday’s incident. Another student reportedly left the school compound before the police arrived.
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"It"s a nightmare to see him in bandage again"
