THERE were no dry eyes as relatives, friends, acquaintances and teachers exited the Clarendon Road Church located at 3304 Clarendon Road, Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday after paying their respects to 16-year-old Shemel Mercurius who was shot dead two weeks ago.

Mercurius who migrated to New York some four years ago was killed by her boyfriend in her East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York apartment as she was babysitting her three-year-old cousin Josia on June 2. The three-year-old was unharmed.

The Teen’s boyfriend identified as Taariq Stephens, a 24-year-old man with a half-dozen prior arrests has been charged for the murder of the Guyanese teenager. Stephens turned himself over to the New York Police Department (NYPD) and was charged with the murder of Mercurius and being in possession of a weapon last Thursday at the 67th Precinct station house in East Flatbush.

The viewing which began at 15:30h on Tuesday saw scores of persons paying tribute to the 16 year old girl and giving their condolences to her family. Immediately after the viewing which lasted approximately 4 hours, a church service was held. Relatives who stood outside of the Clarendon Road Church told Guyana Chronicle that Mercurius was ‘a loving child’. Her cousin Grace Lawson described her as “an angel.” “She was the sweetest young lady ever. It is just sad and unbelievable that we are all here today under these circumstances.”

Lawson said Mercurius was a mannerly and loving child who would always enquire about the well-being of her relatives and friends. “I got to see her most times in the afternoon when she was coming home from school…there is no other word to describe her but being an angel,” said Lawson who last saw the teenager the Wednesday before she died.

She said Mercurius was excited about the Region’s examinations that are scheduled soon and she was studying hard for the exams. Lawson recounted that she got the news while at work but she did not make much of the news as she was not informed that it was her 16-year-old cousin. She said when she got home her niece told her somebody got shot. “I turned to my brother and I said thank God you guys are in the house. I didn’t pay any more attention to it until like 6 o’clock the next morning when they said Mercurius…I

jumped up. There is only one Mercurius I know…when they said Shemel we went Berserk.”

The emotional woman said her niece saw when the teen was taken out of her apartment complex by paramedics but her family did not know it as Mercurius.

Meanwhile, as many left the church after viewing Mercurius’ body they were heard speaking of her characteristics. One woman said: “That child was so pleasant…wherever she saw me she would say hello and ask how I was doing.” A young girl was overheard speaking to her parent said, “Mom, can’t believe my friend is gone. This is so hard for me right now.” She cried uncontrollably as she reminisced on times spent with the Guyanese teen.

A relative of the 16 year old girl told Guyana Chronicle that ‘it is unfortunate that she was brought to the United States to get a better life and ended up dead.’ He said his family needs justice and he stood outside of the Church. “I can’t believe she is gone; I can’t believe she died this way, so young. She had her entire future ahead of her,” the man said. Mercurius would be laid to rest on Wednesday at the Canarsie Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.