Grieving parents call for justice reform in Antigua after police silence, ignored court orders

Three bereaved parents have demanded sweeping reforms to Antigua and Barbuda's justice system, citing police silence and ignored court orders. Their accounts were aired on Observer AM.

Antigua parents demand justice reforms after years of institutional neglect

Three bereaved parents are calling for major changes to Antigua and Barbuda's justice system, the Antigua Observer reports, citing prolonged police silence, ignored court orders and communication failures that deepened their grief following the deaths of their children.

Joycelyn O'Garro-Piper, Vangetta Hector-Francis and Khalid Shabazz appeared on Observer AM to recount their individual ordeals with law enforcement and the courts.

Hector-Francis, whose son Vonde Bowers was killed last year in an incident involving teenagers, said she learned of significant developments in the case through WhatsApp messages rather than through official channels.

O'Garro-Piper said she waited two and a half years before learning of an arrest — and only by chance. She described the absence of official contact as "excruciatingly loud" and called for a dedicated customer service unit within the police force to keep victims' families informed of progress in their cases.

Shabazz said court orders directing that his son Rashawn receive medical treatment at Clearview Psychiatric Hospital were repeatedly disregarded. Rashawn later died in prison under circumstances his father has publicly questioned.

Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Nuffield Burnett, responding to the families' concerns, acknowledged that law enforcement carries a legal duty to keep complainants informed throughout investigations. He said families who experience delays or poor communication may seek redress through the police force's Office of Professional Standards, which is empowered under a statutory disciplinary code to investigate misconduct. Burnett also noted that, while officers may advise families against retaining legal counsel, citizens are under no obligation to act on such advice.

Legal expert Warren Cassell urged grieving families to seek independent legal guidance. He said court orders of the kind obtained by Shabazz can be enforced against prison authorities when not complied with. Cassell also addressed parental concerns about the Juvenile Act, explaining that the legislation prioritises rehabilitation and limits custodial sentences to prevent young offenders from becoming entrenched in criminal behaviour. Civil remedies, he added, remain available to affected families.

The three parents called on the authorities to introduce immediate institutional changes: reinstating school truancy officers to better protect vulnerable young people, amending legislation to strengthen penalties for juvenile offences, and improving coordination between the courts and psychiatric facilities in cases involving people with mental health conditions.

Source: Antigua Observer