Kashema Smith, the mother of the teen killed from a blow to the head during a school fight, was inconsolable on Thursday. She was surrounded by the teen’s father, Milton Shearer, and his stepmother, Merlene, as she mourned the loss of 16-year-old Devonie at the home he recently relocated to in Buckfield, Ocho Rios, St Ann.
Devonie initially resided with Smith in a rural community in Hanover before he moved to Ohio Rios last year to live with his father and stepmother, a decision both his parents now regret.
Smith cried out in anguish as she expressed her regrets. She and Shearer also clung to each other for comfort as they struggled to process the devastating incident that occurred at Ocho Rios High School on Wednesday afternoon.
A school fight between Devonie and another schoolboy turned into a fatal encounter when the other student used a metal chair to hit Devonie in the back of the head. He was takento the hospital, where he later died. The other student was taken to the police by his mother and remains in custody.
Smith explained that when the incident first happened, Devonie’s father and stepmother hesitated to tell her the full truth, fearing the shock might affect her health. Instead, she was told that her son had been taken to the hospital following an incident at school.
Holding on to hope, she travelled from Hanover to St Ann, praying that her son would recover. However, by the time she arrived, she was met with the heartbreaking reality that he had already died.
The grief within the family has been intensified by memories of Devonie’s ambitions and the dreams he had for the future. His father described him as a young man who took his education seriously and often spoke about wanting to succeed so he could support his mother and younger sister.
According to him, Devonie would regularly return home from school eager to talk about how well his day had gone and how much he enjoyed his studies. “He loved school,” his father recalled, noting that his son was determined to do well and build a better life for himself and those he cared about.
His stepmother also shared emotional memories, explaining that Devonie had spent years asking to be transferred to a school in Ocho Rios. When the move finally happened last year, she said he was excited about the opportunity and had begun settling into his new environment.
She described him as deeply involved in family life and someone she relied on heavily for support around the home. The loss has also been made more painful by the plans he had recently begun sharing with her. Only days before the tragedy, she said, he spoke about wanting to learn online trading and eventually pursue a career as an electrical engineer. Now, those dreams have been cut short.
Grief counsellors have since been providing support to the family as they attempt to navigate the devastating loss. Similar support services have also been extended to students and staff at Ocho Rios High School, where the atmosphere has been described as sombre following the incident.
Education officials and political representatives have visited both the school and the grieving family, offering condolences and urging communities to pay closer attention to the emotional struggles facing young people.
