Granny prays – ‘Dear Lord, show us Dane’s killer’

Andrews, 74, a spiritual Baptist, said she spends every waking hour praying that the person/s who buggered and murdered her grandson, is brought to justice. “I am asking the Lord,” Andrews told Newsday yesterday at her New Grant home, “to reveal to the police the person or persons who did this thing to Dane.”

On February 2, he was found dead at the back of a pond at Monkey Town Branch Trace, Hindustan. An autopsy concluded he died by drowning and that he was also sexually assaulted. The investigation, now 42 days old, has not yet yielded any arrests.

A man, who was at one time described by police as a ‘‘key suspect’’ in the investigation, has packed up and left his residence at New Grant. The suspect, Newsday learnt was a relative of Dane who had frequented the boy’s home. Police said they have not yet interviewed this suspect. Andrews went to the pond with a classmate from the Hindustan Government Primary School, leaving his school bag and clothing at the friend’s house.

Yesterday, grandmother Andrews said, “Nobody would come from Port-of-Spain or Toco to do that to Dane. Is somebody from right down here.”

Andrews said her grandson travelled mainly between home and school, recalling only one occasion Dane went with her to Monkey Town. “If I knew he was going there (Monkey Town) I would have put a stop to it. I would have made sure he stayed home,” Andrews told Newsday.

As a result, the grandmother said, the family is taking extra precautions with Dane’s five-year-old brother Jamaal. Andrews said the younger brother is kept within sight of a trusted relative at all times. “We not taking any chances with this one,” she said sternly. She said the family still shed tears for Dane, whom she described as “ very bright” and a child who was destined for success. Andrews is patiently waiting for the police to find who was responsible for the attack on Dane.

“I know the police have to take it step by step. Only time will tell when this will be over.”