bahamas

Friends and family of one of the country’s latest traffic fatalities were in disbelief when they learned of her sudden death.

Melissa Knowles was remembered as “a bundle of joy,” her sister Erica Russell mourned.

Knowles’ mother and siblings were devastated after she was killed last week Friday when her vehicle, a silver Nissan Cube traveling east, hit a GMC Canyon truck traveling south along Johnstone Avenue in the Stapledon Gardens area.

She was killed after 11 pm.

“Gone too soon Lila, still can’t believe this. When you step in the room, sis you we’re such a bundle of joy…Our family will never forget you sweetie pie,” Russell said in a social media post.

Knowles’ mother, Marva, was reportedly out of the country when her daughter died and learned of her demise when she returned.

The mother was overcome with grief after learning that her friend’s daughter was also killed in a car crash, earlier that day.

Phillipa Deveaux, heading east in a Daihatsu Mira, hit a flatbed truck traveling west on Prince Charles Drive, crushing the front end of her vehicle and smashing the windshield. She died instantly.

Knowles’ death occurred 8 hours after Deveaux’s death.

Knowles’ brother who is the pastor of Word Empowerment Church Deon Knowles called her “a beautiful angel that God sent and took away.”

While Cameron Robbins remains missing in Bahamian waters, his family wrote an obituary to eulogize the 18-year-old. He is described as “funny and kindhearted, but also intense and driven.”

“Though he left this world far too soon, he lived a life full of good friends and family,” the tribute reads.

Robbins, an American high-school graduate, was last seen swimming in dark waters near Anthol Island in the Bahamas, but soon disappeared, making international headlines and spurring an intense search and rescue effort by Bahamian authorities and US Coast Guards.

The Robbins family retraced his steps in the area he was last seen on last week Wednesday and now accepts that he met his demise, returning to Louisiana last Sunday.

Now the family is preparing a memorial for the young baseball athlete, set for July 4 at 4 pm at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge.

Robbins who was adopted at birth, loved fishing, and had just returned from a weekend fishing trip on the Louisana Gulf Coast with his father and brother before he left with friends on the graduation trip to the Bahamas, his family said.

“He was a tough player, battling back from multiple injuries, known to pitch through separated shoulders and broken hands. He hoped to continue his baseball career at the college level.”

Robbins was also vice president of the youth group at St Andrew’s United Methodist where he served.

Since his disappearance, many speculated that Robbins was killed by sharks, a theory based on an image seen in a video when he swims away from the boat that he reportedly jumped from.  The area he was last seen is also territory for the predators, and previous shark attacks occurred there.

“Had they found a piece of clothing or any kind of clue, that would cause them to extend that 48-hour period, but if they don’t get any kind of indication then that’s usually when they call it off,” said United Cajun Navy Vice President Brian Trascher after the search was called off on Friday.

“It took a lot of strength for them to go out there and stay for a few days. When we offered to take them out in a boat to the area where he went overboard and some of the areas they were searching… They went, which I know had to be very emotional for them, but they went and by Sunday they decided they wanted to go home.”

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to Christian Homes and Family Services, an adoption agency.

Since search and rescue efforts failed to locate Cameron Robbins, the American high school graduate who reportedly jumped into Bahamian waters last week while on vacation, theories have swirled this week that the teen was possibly killed by a shark.

Sharks are common sightings in Bahamian waters though attacks are infrequent. And the waters near Anthol Island are reported to be ‘infested’ with the marine predators.

The Black Beard’s Revenge party boat in which Robbins was a passenger, was in the area of Anthol Island, near Paradise Island, when the 18-year-old reportedly lept overboard on a dare, in just trunks and without a floating device.

In a newly released video, passengers panicked as he swam in the dark ocean, and some are urging him to hold onto a floating device in the water, but he swims in another direction. This puzzled many viewers and some point to an object or shape in the water that resembles a shark. This, many say, could be a reasonable cause for Robbins’ decision to swim away from the boat when he was being encouraged to swim closer.

Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Raymond King, whose organization led the search and rescue mission alongside US Coast Guards before efforts were suspended, said, “I can tell you that area where an individual (Cameron Robbins) reportedly jumped over, it’s an area that is really shark-infested as well. It is so unfortunate but I don’t want the family to lose hope.”

tHEKing presumes Robbins is dead, further stating that “the probability of survival decreases significantly particularly if a person did not have on a life vest and particularly if a person is perceived to be intoxicated.”

In 2017, American citizen Tiffany Johnson was snorkelling in waters near Anthol Island and lost her arm when a tiger shark attacked. And, in 2022, Caroline DiPlacido was on vacation and snorkelling near Green Cay which is 2 miles west of Anthol Island, when she was killed by a bull shark.

It has been a week since Robbins went missing without a trace and his family who helped search, has since returned to Baton Rouge, Louisianna.

‘The Nation’s Singing Bishop’ as he is affectionately called, now has two titles and you may see an overlap.

Prophet Lawrence Rolle, a Pentecostal preacher, became a member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force after three months of training. As a reservist, he will be called on to join forces alongside full-time officers of the RBPF.

Rolle’s other job title is pastor of International Deliverance Praying Ministries. He leads people to Jesus and runs a weekly food outreach programme where he cooks and feeds the poor in his community. His charismatic personality has spurned thousands of fans because of his outreach, stage theatrics, and social media spiritual messages and counsel.

As the country counters rising crime and violence, Rolle may invoke his spirituality as a part-time police officer.

And as the gap between the police force and members of the public widen at times, Rolle, coming from an Over-the-Hill community, may help to bridge the divide between the RBPF and the public.

Rolle now wears a uniform with a red badge to show the distinction as a reserve, and he would be required to assist full-time officers, and attend official parades and lectures.

Reserves come from all walks of life with various professions, with a desire to assist the police in the fight against crime.

It is not known whether or not Rolle will be placed on the streets to fight crime, but for now, the tough job of police might be a lot like his toughest job as a pastor and community leader.

The tragic death of a woman in a horrific traffic accident on Friday was met with shock.

“Philly was a sweet, beautiful and gorgeous soul,” friend Quekell remembered in a social media post.

Phillipa Deveaux was driving east in a small Japanese vehicle, Daihatsu Mira when she hit a flatbed truck traveling west on Prince Charles Drive, crushing the front end of her vehicle and smashing the windshield. She died on the scene.

One social media post described the devastating scene which occurred after 3 pm on Friday. “I drove past that scene and I cried because when I saw the sheet and the car I said ain’t no way they survived.”

Deveaux managed a bar and lounge on Prince Charles Drive and previously worked as a food and beverage manager at the Cove, Atlantis.

“My good former co-worker has gone way too soon. One of the best food and beverage managers I’ve ever met,” friend Robert mourned.

Other friends in grief said she was loved by everyone.

“Philly looked out for anyone she came in contact with. She was such a sweetheart,” Jada Pratt said.

Donna Morris said Phillipa always greeted her with a smile and “a kind word.”

“A real people’s person. This was one sweet soul.”

Friend Patricia McBride is in disbelief since she spoke with Deveaux the morning before her sudden passing. “We spoke this morning not knowing this would have been the last time. You were such a beautiful soul.”

Nathaniel Smith, an adopted son said since her death, he has had sleepless nights.

“I am still waiting for you to come home because this house ain’t a home without you,” he said as he remembered his last conversation with her on Thursday, the day before she died.

Though the authorities in the Bahamas called off the search for 18-year-old Cameron Robbins– the American high school graduate who reportedly jumped off a boat while vacationing in the Bahamas last week, they released a missing person poster on Tuesday afternoon, asking for assistance in finding him.

Robbins, described as a Caucasian, 5’6″-5’7″ tall, and of slim build, has been missing since Wednesday, a four hours after his arrival in the Bahamas where he planned to celebrate his recent graduation from Laboratory University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Robbins is presumed dead since he wandered away from the boat after jumping into the dark ocean and has not been seen since. Boaters are heard in a video urging him to hang onto a buoy, but he drifts away as the boat sails on.

US Coast Guards assisted authorities in the Bahamas, providing helicopters while the Royal Bahamas Defence Force searched 325 square miles of waters in boats, but to no avail.

“U.S. Coast Guard District Seven deployed multiple search and rescue assets in response to an agency assistance request from our partners in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Our Coast Guard command center and aircrews based in Miami supported RBDF search and rescue efforts since the initial report Wednesday evening and continued through Friday evening.

“We were informed by the RBDF this evening that they were suspending the active search efforts pending further developments, and were not requesting further Coast Guard assistance after notifying the Robbins family. We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins’ family and friends,” the US Guards said in a statement.

Robbins’ parents returned to Baton Rouge after the suspension, thanking everyone who assisted in finding their missing son. “The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge. We want to thank the Bahamas government, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graves for everything they have done for us. In this time of grief, we thank our family, friends, and well-wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss.”

A recent high school graduate who took a celebration trip to the Bahamas with friends is missing after he went overboard on Wednesday night.

Cameron Robins, 18, was on a vessel near Athol Island, an uninhabited island near Paradise Island,  when he “reportedly jumped overboard” around 9:40 pm.

What is the status of the investigation?

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force is leading the search to find Robbins who reportedly lept in the water on a dare, according to reports. A video in circulation reportedly shows the teen swimming in the dark waters alongside the boat, but he mysteriously disappeared underwater.

US Coast Guards in a Twitter post said it is assisting the RBDF and the Royal Bahamas Police Force in finding the US citizen.

The coast guards are providing air assistance in the desperate search and rescue mission.

As of Thursday night, he was still not found as friends led a vigil at the school he recently graduated from, University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Lousiana.

Friends said a US senator is arranging for more helicopters to join the search.

Who is Cameron Robbins?

Robbins is described as a baseball athlete and a “special kid”  who started his education at the school when he was 5 years old.

“Just one of those kids that you’re so proud of once they cross the stage,” said the Director of the Laboratory School Kevin George, who watched Robbins walk across the stage on Sunday.

“He’s an athlete, great kid, great smile, great head of hair.”

The school’s baseball coach Justin Morgan said Robbins was loved by everyone.

“He was a fierce competitor on the baseball field. He is a hard worker both on and off of the field.”

In a statement to Insider, George said the school is praying for the best possible outcome.

“I have been in touch with Cameron’s family and at this time, authorities are still searching for him in the Bahamas,” George said. “Our thoughts are with the Robbins family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts as well.”

The trip was not sanctioned by the school. But 10-15 students from the Laboratory School and several from high schools in the Baton Rouge area accompanied Robbins on the trip. The group stayed at Atlantis Resort.

Robbin’s parents arrived in the Bahamas on Thursday afternoon.

Seventeen months after four police officers shot and killed Azario Major outside a business establishment after a reported confrontation, a jury in the coroner’s court ruled the 31-year-old’s death to be a homicide by manslaughter on Wednesday.

The jury reached their findings after three weeks of testimony in the attention-grabbing case involving a police shooting which was disputed in a viral video social media post. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier can now decide if his Office will prosecute the officers.

Major was killed in December 2021 after police said he acted erratically, leaving the bar and lounge and then returning to confront officers. His family said they never believed the officers’ account and hired a US private investigator who revealed inconsistencies– none of the gun casings dispensed were from the gun found in Major’s possession; his phone pinged distances away from where the incident occurred and appeared to be deactivated; and only one officer reportedly fired at Major.

During the inquest, the court was told that Major was on medication for a mental disorder and often hallucinated. And that after officers heard, “Gun. Gun. He has a gun!” the four officers fired their weapons.

What’s the impact of the inquest in this case?

The coroner’s inquest is not a criminal trial but it is simply a fact-finding mission about a person’s death while making it public. The verdict is not legally binding and no one involved will be criminally charged, convicted, or sentenced unless the Prosecution Office decides to press charges.  A verdict is read and, after the inquest, the jury usually makes recommendations on how to prevent future deaths in similar circumstances.

Some people considered this case a victory since rarely in the Bahamas, police-involved shootings are ruled a crime. Some have long argued that officers abuse their power and some shootings are not ‘justifiable’ though officers may say they were “in fear for their lives.”

The inquest revealed the officer or officers responsible for his death and compelled them to testify. This case puts every police-involved shooting under close public scrutiny.

The mother of a young man missing at sea since May 5th while boating with his uncle believes some parts of what may have happened were not told.

Agnes Marshall believes the uncle is not telling the entire story of what happened to her son Ryan Barr.

Marshall said the uncle who remains unnamed, said that Ryan “had fallen out of the boat” and that he “didn’t know where he fell out.”

But she does not believe the uncle’s account of what happened since they were boating in shallow waters.

“I need answers. That was my baby boy, and he didn’t deserve this, ” she said of the 21-year-old described as “responsible”, “caring” and “loving”.

“My son is missing, and the captain of the boat (the uncle) is walking free without giving any account for what has happened.”

Ryan and his uncle left Morgan’s Bluff, Andros at 4:45 pm, then travelled onto Exuma, leaving after 6 pm for Little Whale Cay, Berry Islands.

When the 15-foot boat arrived at Little Whale Cay, only the uncle was reportedly onboard the boat.

A relative who wanted to remain anonymous said, “The captain (uncle) called my brother who works the same place to bring them gas. But the captain was the only one in the boat when he got there.

“There was no sign of Ryan anywhere and his uncle has not called or texted.”

Marshall has accepted that Ryan may have met his demise and wants him questioned by the authorities.

Officer in Charge of CDU Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson said he was made aware of the missing case on Monday.

Ryan is a 2020 graduate of Huntley Christie High School in Andros.