Three little white coffins
–    Laid to rest in the Soesdyke cemetery yesterday
THREE babies lying tranquilly in slumber went to their eternal rest yesterday after funeral services at the Church of the Nazarene, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara.
Once again, when neighbours and teachers could have made a difference, as in the Neesa Gopaul and other tragedies; and thus avert an ultimate catastrophe, they did not act upon signals of danger and distress.
On October 12, John Blanchard reportedly hacked his three children with two knives while they were asleep at their house at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara. Two of the children died that night, while the third remained critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital, with great hope for her recovery.  However, she succumbed a few days later. The gruesome discovery was made at approximately 22:30 hrs at the family’s home located at Dr Charles New Housing Scheme commonly known as “Ivan’s Street”, Soesdyke.
Speaking at the funeral services one teacher hinted that Joy Blanchard would often reveal details of a far-from-normal situation in the home.  Why was this not investigated? Or brought to the attention of the authorities?
Neighbours heard one of the girls crying out “daddy, how you could do this to we?”
This plea was ignored by the neighbour who thought that the child was merely receiving a thrashing from her father – merely, as if that was justification for ignoring a potentially harmful situation for a child.
Yesterday, Balica Romana George, aged ten; Joy Millicent Blanchard, Aged six; and Daniel John Blanchard, aged four, were interred at the Soesdyke cemetery on the East Bank of Demerara; but their tragic death has left many questions unanswered, foremost being why would a seemingly loving father brutally hack his innocent children to death: Because there is no justification for such an action.
Reports indicate that John Blanchard’s corn-selling business was not very lucrative and the proceeds were often extremely minimal.  Onika’s sister, Dev Ann Simon said that they did not know of her older sister’s ordeal with an abusive husband, until she broke down yesterday after the funeral and told them of her years of misery with a man whose jealousy often led him to stuff cloth in her mouth, lock the bedroom door, and beat her badly. 
Another bone of contention was that, although he would receive job offers, he refused employment that would have earned him a steady income; thus when his wife Onika received an offer for a job as a cook in a hinterland location they came to an agreement that he would look after the children while she used the opportunity to “catch she hand”.
Despite rumours to the contrary, Onika said that all she went to do at Mahdia was only to work so that her children could have been better provided for.  She trusted her husband to take care of their children while she was away because, even though he was often brutal to her, he was always caring of the children’s welfare.
According to Onika’s relatives, one of John’s close relatives was always creating strife between the couple by telling John untruthful stories about his wife, which led to him abusing her – physically and verbally, and consequential separations a couple of times; but they always got together again.
However, on the evening of October 12, Blanchard’s relative called him to relate some rumours that disturbed him, after which he called Onika and insisted that she return home immediately.  She reportedly refused his demand, because this would have meant giving up a lucrative source of income after a long time of living in financial need, where necessities for the children could not have been adequately provided for. 
She explained to him that in the week that she had worked she had not earned enough and needed more time.  She disputed allegations by his relative that she had started an affair, asking how she could start an affair in just a week.
A little while after he reportedly called her again and informed her that he had killed the children, which she did not believe; but Balica had not yet died and he put her to talk to a devastated Onika.  The child, who was probably too wounded to talk, was groaning and Blanchard informed a stunned Onika that he would cover her nose and mouth to finish her off completely.  She immediately called relatives to check on her family, hoping against hope that this was a trick to force her to return.
But her worse fears were soon confirmed.  John Blanchard proved to be a control freak who would not tolerate his wife’s refusal of his demands and, since she was out of his reach, vented his anger on three innocent babies.
He remorselessly butchered the children like wild animals; and the visible wounds on the children’s faces bore testimony to the viciousness of the attack.
As Onika sat in the church like a walking dead between her father and sisters, relatives and friends recited poems and sang appropriate hymns and songs, with the classmates of the children, who were in full attendance, bravely paying homage to their departed friends in poetry, song, and acrostics.
Pastor Joseph Innis was the Officiating Priest, with support from Sister Rose Charles.  Pastor Innis said that the question on everyone’s mind is why?  But responded that, while in our finite minds there is no answer, God has answers for everything.  He urged that this tragedy be a catalyst for greater community involvement in childcare.
He said that this should be a time of reflection for parents to hold sacred marriage and families; and, quoting from ‘Isaiah 43’ he encouraged the bereaved family members that God is right there with them.
During the Service, Pastor Innis led the Opening Prayer; classmate of Balica, sang the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd”; Daniel’s classmate from Soesdyke No.2 Nursery School, 4-year-old Janesta Thomas sang “Jesus loves the little children”; the eulogy was delivered by Mr. Omoniyi Elcock; Teachers, classmates, relatives and friends of the family paid tribute to the babies in poem and song; but specially poignant were acrostics spelling out the children’s names thus: B-rave, E-nergetic, L-oving, I-ntelligence, C-aring, A-dorable; J-olly, O-bedient, Y-outhful; D-aring, A-ngel, N-ight, I-nspiring, E-nergetic, L-oving.  Afterward, the children declared: “We love you, sleep on friend, may your souls rest in peace.”
In simple words Onika described her children as beautiful, energetic, joyful to be around, helpful, loving, determined, brave, outspoken, and she declared that she was lucky to have had her children for the time that she did.  She related that her children were always wanting to share her bed and hug her while they slept, and reflected that they were not dead, but merely asleep and waiting for her, because she is convinced that she will re-unite with her children in due time.
Sister Rose Charles concurred and comfortingly said that the beautiful words of God pierces the heart and provides comfort.
Fathers are supposed to be protectors of their children; some do so at the risk of their own lives.  They are not supposed to take their children’s lives, or harm them in any way.
The only parallel, in Guyana of recent times, to this brutal act was the Lusignan massacre.  And this carnage even superseded that murderous episode in bestiality because of the sheer immensity of brutality, because this was a father mercilessly slashing to death his own loving, trusting, beautiful babies.
There have been many tragedies where children have died unnecessarily in Guyana – in fires and accidents, for instance; but hacking one’s own children with such merciless ferocity because he could not vent his anger on their mother is beyond human understanding; and absolutely unforgiveable. 
What a revenge John Blanchard vested on his suspected errant wife, and only time will tell if he receives his just desserts, and whether three little angels will receive justice from the laws of man.  But as Charles Dickens wrote: “The law is an ass.”