tragedy

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.

Before 50-year-old Princess Mills drowned, the preacher and teacher often traversed the northern islands to spread the gospel message, after teaching students in Family and Consumer Studies at SC Bootle High School.

When friends and family found out that she died tragically after a boat in which she was a passenger overturned early Thursday morning, they were in disbelief.

“I tried not to believe this as I fought internally with so many emotions…This is a tough pill to swallow,” cousin Elon Elcaro said.

“My beautiful, anointed, powerful, rare, phenomenal, supernatural, believing cousin,” he lamented.

Mills was in Freeport for a church service where she danced and preached, after which, she called a ferry boat to carry her back to Abaco where she planned to spend the Easter holidays with her husband and son in Moore’s Island.

But before she could arrive, the 20ft Grady boat capsized. Mill’s lifeless body was found floating near the vessel as the 19-year-old boat captain who always ferried her to the various islands, was found clinging to the vessel after 2 am.

Her father Jonathan Stuart reminisced, “Everybody really loved her.”

Stuart helped her load the boat with her belongings before her departure from McClean’s Town, after which she kissed him and said, “Daddy I’ll see you when you get home.”

Friend Terrece Isabella who also taught at SC Bootle High School said it was typical of Mills to take boat rides at night to partake in various church services in Marsh Harbour, Eleuthera and Freeport.

“There were no seasons in my life in the last 20-plus years, that she didn’t show up, and show up she did.

“Princess [Mills] was gentle, radical in faith, sacrificial and motherly. I witnessed Princess giving people the last that she had. Oftentimes, people were quick to take advantage of her generosity and loving nature, without regard for her sacrifices.

Isabella said Mills was the epitome of selflessness. “She fed and provided for those she believed needed her.

“She never put herself first. It was just Princess—a giver.”

Former student, Devon Cooper said, “This cut me deep. From high school, I always knew her to be an example of a true woman of God.”

While another student Krizstina Rutherford described her as “the best Home Economic teacher anyone could possibly ask for.”