By Tahna Weston
The family of Achazia James, who was violently killed almost two months ago, is distancing itself from a change.org petition calling for justice for the teenager, and wants the petition to be removed.
A petition was started on October 15 under the caption “Justice for Achazia James” by John Higgens, was started on Tuesday the after the 15-year-old was laid to rest. However, James’s mother Asabi Charles told Observer that she does not know the person who started it.
“I know nothing about the petition and I do not know who is John Higgens. I am not aware of it, I am really not aware of what is going on,” Charles told our newsroom.
“It disturbs my spirit to know that you would go out there and do something like that without reaching out to the family,” she added.
The petition which is directed to the “Antigua and Barbuda Police Headquarters (National Headquarters- Antigua Royal Police Force)” outlines several reasons why the petition matters.
It is calling for swift and decisive action in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the brutal murder of the teenager.
However, Charles wants the petition to be taken down as the police continue to investigate the incident.
The petition, which gave information about the teenager’s personality, is reportedly seeking to “ensure that law enforcement agencies remain committed to investigating this case thoroughly and that the perpetrators of this senseless crime are brought to justice.”
Charles said that while information about the case has not been made public, she is being kept abreast about the progress of the investigation by the police.
She said even as the family wants justice, it wants to see the right persons being made answerable for this evil act.
The petition is also calling on the government to address the rising crime rates in the country, which it claims “have left many residents feeling unsafe in their own communities.”
By late yesterday afternoon the petition had already garnered over 300 signatures.
James’s body was discovered by two beachgoers at Runway Beach with multiple chop wounds on Sunday August 18. She was reportedly last seen sometime after 3 on that same morning.
The teenager was celebrated by family, friends and her schoolmates during a funeral service on Monday at the Beacon Light Nazarene Church in Villa.