tragedy

Grief filled Bible Truth Ministries on Saturday as family, friends, and fellow marines gathered to say goodbye to Royal Bahamas Defence Force Marine Demeris Armbrister, remembered for his discipline, quiet strength, and commitment to service.

Fellow Marines who served alongside Armbrister described him as soft-spoken and gentle, yet vibrant and full of life once he was among friends. He was known for pushing himself, physically and mentally, always striving to be better.

Friends said that as the RBDF gym manager, fitness was his passion.

Armbrister, in his early twenties, died in a tragic car crash on December 1. Police said he lost control of his vehicle around 5 a.m. along Tonique Williams-Darling Highway, striking a tree before the car overturned. He remained trapped inside the wreckage until first responders were able to pull him free.

At his funeral, his casket was carried by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, draped in the Bahamian flag, a final salute to the young marine who had only recently begun his journey since joining the RBDF in 2023.

Commodore Floyd Moxey remembered Armbrister as a Marine who embodied the values of the force.

“He brought genuine intensity and pride to his work,” Moxey said. “He had exceptional zeal and energy, someone who consistently lifted the standard and morale of his team. He showed up each day ready to serve, ready to learn, and ready to inspire those around him.”

Moxey described him as fit, disciplined, motivated, and fully committed — “exactly what a modern Defence Force should be.”

“This is a profound loss,” he added. “The RBDF is shaken by this tragedy.”

Among those paying final respects was Demetrius Clarke, a close friend and colleague who served as part of the firing squad.

“It was an honour and a duty I did not take lightly,” Clarke said, “To stand strong for you in your final moments, to celebrate your life, your service, and your legacy.”

Featured Images: Through the Eyes of Ezra

A family is mourning the sudden and tragic loss of 27-year-old Devon Butler, who was fatally struck by two vehicles while walking along Robinson Road early Friday morning.

His sister, Rissa Williams, poured out her grief on social media, writing:
“My brother… this hurts so bad. This is not the news I wanted to hear. To get this call this morning… my baby brother.”

According to police, Butler was first hit by a vehicle traveling east. That driver reportedly stopped. Moments later, a second vehicle struck him and fled the scene. Police are now searching for the driver of the second vehicle.

Latoya Smith, another sister, told The Tribune that Butler had just left work and stopped at the laundromat to use a phone in an effort to get home. “He was like my second child. He was sweet and loving. He always showed me affection and told me how much he loved me,” she said.

Close friend Stephan said he was struggling to believe what had happened.
“I’m still in disbelief,” he shared.

A woman who identified herself as Thompson said the incident happened shortly after Butler left a nearby laundromat. “He was just in there calling for a ride to get home… and walked out only minutes before this happened,” she said.

Devon was the young father of a six-year-old boy and had just celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago.

A family acquaintance, Alice Thompson, described Butler as someone she treated like her own.
“My heart breaks for him and his family. He was more than my daughter’s friend. He was family,” she said.

One friend, Vicki, questioned the lack of compassion shown by the driver who fled the scene.
“What breaks me the most is the absence of humanity. How can someone see another person and show no mercy?” she wrote.

Police are urging anyone with information about the second vehicle or its driver to come forward.

The tragic death of 16-year-old Bahamian student Madeline Thompson in Panama has left many searching for answers.Thompson fell from the 27th floor of the Megapolis Hotel in Panama City early Friday morning, while attending a global robotics convention with her parents and other Bahamian students.

Panama police told The Tribune that their investigation continues and that they have not yet determined whether foul play was involved.

While official information remains limited, here’s what we know and what we don’t know yet about the case.

1. What led to the fall

Authorities have not yet explained what happened in the moments leading up to the tragedy or what circumstances led Thompson to the hotel balcony or window.

2. What the security cameras show

Panamanian media reported that security cameras recorded the fall around 6:05 a.m., but officials have not shared details of what the footage shows before or after that time.

3. Whether anyone witnessed the incident

So far, no reports suggest that anyone directly witnessed the fall. It’s unclear if hotel staff or guests nearby heard or saw anything unusual.

4. What investigators found inside the hotel room

Thompson was said to be sharing a room with another student, but police have not released information about what, if anything, was found inside that could help explain the circumstances. Police declined to say if anyone was in the room when the incident occurred.

5. What the autopsy results reveal

The official cause of death has not been released. Authorities as expected will rely on the results of the autopsy and toxicology tests to help determine how she died.

6. What happens next

Panama police continue to investigate. Bahamian officials are coordinating with them through diplomatic channels as the family grieves Madeline’s loss.

Prime Minister Philip Davis called the incident “heartbreaking,” offering prayers and support to the family.

Panamanian media have reported that a Bahamian student died tragically on Friday, falling from the 27^th floor of a hotel.

The incident reportedly occurred at a hotel in the Balboa Avenue area where the 16-year-old stayed with others. The student was among participants from more than 190 countries attending the global robotics event.

While further details have not been released, El Siglo media reported that the incident occurred early morning, around 6.05 am, according to security cameras, when she landed on the 12th floor of the hotel near a hotel pool.

The victim reportedly travelled with her parents and shared a room with another student.

More than 190 countries were represented at this global robotics competition.

Director General Jerusa Lea Dean Ali confirmed the incident to the Bahamas media, “It’s really a tragedy. We are in contact with the organizers of the event. It was a robotic event for school-aged children. We are also in contact honorary counsel in Panama, who spoke with Panamanian officials and the family. We don’t tend to make public these matters because we respect the rights of the family members. We do our best to stay in touch with family and submit queries through official channels so that there is no delay.”

Featured Image: The Robotic Convention, where nearly 200 countries were represented.

Two of three brothers killed early Monday morning in a tragic car crash on Sir Milo Butler Highway worked at Batelco and Bahamas Power and Light where their colleagues are struggling to come to terms with their tragic deaths that widely circulated on social media.

Twenty-four-year-old Philip Christie and twenty-three-year-old D’Caprio Christie were cherished employees at their respective companies.

The  Christie brothers were remembered for their hard work and dedication.

Philip Christie, a member of the Service Delivery Team was praised for always going the extra mile and was described as an excellent team member.

BTC CEO Sameer Bhatti said, “Philip was fun-loving, well-loved by his colleagues and would always make you smile. He was the life of the team.”

Philip’s younger brother D’Caprio joined BPL in 2023 as a craftsman apprentice and was admired for his passion and commitment to the corporation. “In a short time, he quickly became a valued team member, admired for his enthusiasm, hard work and commitment to the craft,” BPL CEO Shevonn Cambridge said in a shared press statement.

Philip and D’Caprio with their 20-year-old brother Deangelo were the country’s latest traffic fatality when their Honda Passport travelling north, lost control, veered off the road and hit a tree along Sir Milo Butler Highway around 2 am.

The Jaws of Life was used to extricate D’Caprio and Philip, the driver and front-seat passenger. They both succumbed on the scene.

Deangelo, a backseat passenger, was transported to the hospital with serious injuries but he died sometime later on Monday morning.

The trio was reared in Andros and transitioned to Nassau for employment, cousin Allyah told the Nassau Guardian.

She described them as “honorable, loving and respectable” young men.

Though somber, the daughter of Douglas McHardy is breathing a sigh of relief his body was found in the waters of Dean’s Blue Hole in Long Island, Bahamas.

After three days of intense searching, Nakita Headley grieves her father and remembers him as a “jokester and a prankster.”

“I’m going to lean on the laughter and jokes for comfort because if I think of anything else, my heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest.”

Douglas McHardy, a local fisherman and experienced diver, was found 600 feet below sea level after a search spanned several days. The Royal Bahamas Police Force, alongside the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, searched with the aid of an unmanned submersible drone, which ultimately led to the heartbreaking find.

The incident occurred shortly after McHardy attended the funeral of his mother-in-law, and went to the beach with Headley and his grandchildren.

Headley remembers he kept saying, “Now Kita hold on to my grand babies. Don’t let them drown.”

She then moved closer to the shore and soon left to retrieve something from her vehicle. Not long after she returned, he disappeared.

Headley said he was swimming in an area adjacent to the hole and swam across the blue hole to the other side, near the shallow edge.

“One minute he was on top of the water and the next minute he wasn’t.”

Headley said she cherished her father.

“I truly am so proud to be a product of your nurture and love. Not a man of many words but when you did, it would most likely be something you enjoyed talking about…once you start you would not shut up and would repeat the same things over and over. What I wouldn’t do to hear you now so I could roll my eyes to the sky,” she said in a social media post.”

The community of Long Island is also in mourning, as McHardy was a well-known figure, respected for his skills at sea and his jovial nature.

Agnes Write remembers, “He was a hardworking man, always busy and happy.”

Clinto Ritchie said, “He was a great man. Dougie was always humble, hardworking, and loved and supported by his family unconditionally.”

“Dougie was very full of life. Always joyful. You will be missed on Long Island,” Adrian Darville echoed.

Melshalique Knowles said, “He was one of a kind and always happy and pleasant, never a bad word said about him. I will miss Sundays with him and shopping and talking a bunch of foolishness. [He was] such a sweet soul.”

As the island grapples with this loss, the police are coordinating with deep water specialists to safely recover McHardy’s remains.

The family has expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support.

Feature picture credit: Nakita Headley FB page

Family and friends are trying to come to grips with the unfortunate demise of 42-year-old Tony Scriven whose body was found crushed under a portable water storage tank on Sweetings Cay, on Sunday.

In her reflection of the beloved Water and Sewage manager who operated in Abaco, Aunt Pynki Scriven lamented, “The pain you may not see. But, oh my Lord, a knife could not cut me as deep.”

Scriven was managing the desalination plant on the island when tanks sitting on an elevated concrete platform, fell on him. In a graphic image, his body is shown pressed under the weight of the tank, and his face is buried in the earth beneath him.

Bahamas Water and Sewage Corporation soon issued a statement acknowledging the tragic accident and reported having visited the site along with Scriven’s father, Tony Sr.

“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn his loss,” stating that staff, the police and emergency services came to his aid quickly when the incident occurred.

Tony Sr, a lawyer by profession, has not publicly commented on the accident but only posted childhood pictures of his son along with his twin brother, to his social media page. Other pictures show the father praying with WSC workers after he visited the site of the accident.

The Water and Sewage Management Union said Scriven was killed in the prime of his life.

“It is hard to accept the death of one so dear to us…We were saddened to learn of Tony’s sudden and tragic passing in the line of duty…The grief and pain seem so unbearable.”

Just days before the tragedy, while speaking to ZNS Northern Service, Scriven Jr excitedly pointed at the tanks, emphasizing the purpose of the tanks’ installation which he said were installed to build storage capacity for the distribution network.

On Monday, the corporation closed its Abaco branch to “recognize the impact he had on us all.”

North Eleuthera MP and chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) Sylvanus Petty posted, “Rest in peace colleague.”

Scriven leaves behind a wife and three children.

Featured Image: Tony Scriven Jr is shown with his wife and children.

Last week, many were confused about a reported incident involving the death of 2-year-old Anwar Miller and his father Jermaine, the tenant of the complex off Soldier Road, where a fight broke out between him, a nude man and a woman, who rented from him.

The police gave chase after he tried to evade capture, but the father eventually locked himself in a bedroom and jumped through an opening in a shattered window.
Though eventually arrested, he later died.

Anwar’s dead body was found on a bed.

Now, nearly five days later, police are still investigating the case and last, is questioning the mother of the two-year-old.

Many questioned Jermaine’s death after the arrest. Now police are revealing what ultimately killed Jermaine. Police said on Tuesday that the taxi driver died from cardiac arrhythmia–abnormal heart rhythm, which under pressure, may have stopped beating.

The young boy’s death still remains undetermined as a pathology test is still pending.

It is not known if Jermaine had an underlying health condition, perhaps contributing to his death which could have or could not have had a direct cause.

Just ten days prior, Jermaine seemed troubled, posting a picture of his sons to social media, suggesting they were estranged somehow and for whatever reason, which has not yet been revealed to the public.

“I miss waking up and checking on y’all, watching y’all sleep and seeing you’ll laugh. Miss our beach days, pizza days and game nights. [I] feel like I [am] freaking out. I ain’t happy,” he lamented.

His wife Sheniqua Dorvil, 27, who shares a 6-year-old son with him, was stunned at his death since her son and Anwar, who is the son of another woman, were both spending time together when the incident happened. Dorvil said he came by her work to pick up clothing for the child. “He was in a rush. When he pulled up to my work he was okay. He didn’t look like anyone that was going through anything.”

Twenty-six-year-old Marcus Major, a manager at Greycliff Restaurant, before a tragic, fiery car crash on Saturday, was remembered for the hard work he demonstrated at his place of employment.

Friend Michell Moss said he was “such a nice, respectful [and] hardworking young man.

“It’s sad to see [him] leave.”

Having served as a manager since 2014, Major was constantly up and ready on his day off whenever his employer called.

Sister Andrea Clarke who resides in the United States said he would consistently oblige for the sake of more money.

“Every time he home, his job would call him and ask if he could just come in.”
“And he would be like, ‘Yeah, I’ll make it.’

“I would always tell him, ‘Sometimes just stay home. Stay home with your family and just have some time with your family.’ And he would say, ‘No, I have to go to work, I need this money,'” Clarke said.

She previously warned him, “whenever you’re tired and you feel like your body can’t move, don’t force yourself to go to work because you never know what’s gonna happen, you know?”

The younger sister believed he fell asleep at the wheel.

Major was reportedly heading home from work in the early morning hours, when his Nissan Skyline hit a utility pole and burst into flames on Saturday, while travelling south along Mackey Street.

When fire fighters extinguished the blaze, they discovered his remains in the driver’s seat.

Clarke said his demise has left a remarkable hole in her family’s heart including her toddler niece. “Our two-year-old niece keeps asking her mommy if her uncle is dead.

“Marcus could you please wakeup and let Layah know you are still here, please brother,” she cried.

Friend Jasmine Deveaux remembered him as “a nice [and] sweet person.”

Another friend Deeks Rolle said he will miss Major because he was “decent” and “respectable.”

“Such a hardworking young man,” Samuel Bowe echoed.

“He is going to be a huge miss. Such a sweetheart. That smile of his lit up a room,” Dawn Pinder mourned.

Clarke would not see her brother funeralized since she is awaiting US citizenship.

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.