Public spat over young fire victim’s care

Eddy Prince, the father of the baby who was burnt in a deadly house fire in 2016, is defending his earlier appeal for financial support, despite opposition from the child’s maternal extended family that the child is not in need.
Prince’s one-year-old son, David Prince, sustained burns to his hand and face when a fire destroyed the family’s home. His mother, Nurse Gayan Williams and his brother, three-year-old Jayden, died after they were airlifted to Martinique and Guadeloupe.
David is currently in Atlanta in the care of his father’s relatives.
Eddy started a GoFundMe campaign and when contacted by OBSERVER media, the father said the US $5,000 being raised would cover the cost of the child’s airfare to Boston, accommodation since the child is expected to have further appointments after his procedure and possible medication.
The corrective surgery that would be done on the left hand is free of cost. However, aunt of the deceased, Nurse Lauralyn Williams is encouraging members of the public not to donate to the fund because she is more than able to immediately come up with the sum.
Yet, Eddy is resolute that he has not received any help from the extended family to get David medical attention since he was released from Mount St John’s Medical Centre, and he is determined to do what is in the best interest of his son.
“Everything that was done with regards to David getting a visa, travelling to the US, getting him in a hospital, and treatment thus far was done by Eddy and his immediate family,” he told OBSERVER media yesterday. “They don’t come, they don’t ask any questions, they don’t communicate with me but at the end of the day he is my child and I just need him to be in the best possible condition.”
Prince said the burns to the child’s arm damaged the tissues, causing the skin to be taut, deforming his hands and limiting the mobility of the left wrist.
David is scheduled to undergo an additional surgery on November 25, in order to return his hand to normal function.
An upset Nurse Williams said yesterday that Eddy took his son out of the country without notifying his extended family.
“There is no need for this public outcry as if Gayan does not have any anybody and David does not have anybody. We are willing to do what we have to do to help. Five thousand dollars is not money, we are willing and it hurts to know that this is out there. Things were well on the way to have his surgery done,” Williams added.
She further stated that Eddy has totally cut David’s mother’s family out of the child’s life.
Eddy said he took David to Atlanta by his aunt in late May where he has been getting treatment and therapy. The father said he did all of this without any input from the extended family.
A passionate Zetillia Dupis, Eddy’s aunt, called into OBSERVER radio challenging the family to provide proof that they made any attempt to help David get corrective surgery.
“My family is the one doing everything. [Nurse Williams] said David does not need anything because the government is helping, if so tell her bring forth the evidence. I have every receipt since David [got] here, we haven’t gotten help from these people … I had to take six months out of my work to look after David,” Dupis said.