Lone survivor unaware of fate of family members

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Jamal Waterman, one of the Blair family members who had ingested a dangerous substance presumed to be SSS Tonic at their Cocorite Street, East La Penitence home on Sunday morning, yesterday remained under close medical watch in the Pediatric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

When the Chronicle visited late yesterday, he was receiving saline and other medication, and was hooked up to a monitor, but was wide awake, and very much conscious of his environment. The child, however, appeared very pensive and at times dazed. Asked how was he feeling, all he said was, “Better.” Asked about his parents and seven-year-old brother, Jahaquel, who had also ingested the lethal substance, Jamal expressed confidence that

they, too, would soon be better, and indicated that they were “somewhere else” in the hospital compound receiving medical attention.
Among his many visitors yesterday was Georgetown Mayor, Mr. Hamilton Green, who took him a gift and spent some time at his bedside.
Tragedy struck on Sunday morning when 42-year-old Alex Blair and his 36-year-old common-law wife, Simone Pryce, along with their two sons –- Jamal, 12, and seven-year-old Jahaquel — drank from what appeared to be a bottle of SSS Tonic which, along with other foodstuff, had been destined for the USA, but had been left behind by the prospective courier, who had been unwilling to facilitate the request to fetch the stuff at the behest of an acquaintance.

The children’s parents thought the tonic tasted strange, and invited their neighbour and best friend, Natasha George, to taste it, and proffer an opinion. George concurred with her friends’ opinion after tasting the tonic.

Shortly afterwards, the two boys began complaining of feeling unwell, and soon began to vomit and convulse in pain, prompting a decision to take them to the Georgetown Public Hospital. There, the youngest, Jahaquel, along with Blair, Pryce and George succumbed.

Police findings are that the SSS Tonic was laced with cocaine, which resulted in the deaths of the family members and that of their best friend, George.

Jamal, the lone survivor, was said to have asked his mother for some juice, which he drank after taking the tonic had made him feel bad. It is surmised that the juice had somewhat neutralised the toxicity of the substance, which resulted in the efforts put in by medical staff at the hospital to save his life being successful.

Meanwhile, two persons detained by police on Sunday in connection with preparation of the package destined for New York have since been released. Police are, however, said to be looking for two others.

(By Shirley Thomas)