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Emotional farewell for murdered children
Yesterday scores of residents, as well as students and teachers from the
Students were prominent among the numerous mourners yesterday
St. Mary’s Primary and Soesdyke Nursery Schools gathered at the Church of Nazarene, Soesdyke, to bid farewell to the three children who were brutally slain by their father.
Joy Millicent Blanchard, Daniel John Blanchard and Belica Romona George, were laid to rest late yesterday afternoon following an emotional service. Many braved the inclement weather as they gathered at the church which was understandably too small, given the interest that the horrific incident received.
Those attending took turns to view the remains of the three children around noon before the service got underway. The deceased were dressed in white while they also each had their favourite toys placed in their coffins, which were also fully painted in white.
After an hour of viewing, the service got underway. Throughout the proceedings the children’s mother sat with a blank stare next to her father Phillip George at the front of the church. Many students of St. Mary’s Primary, which Joy and Belica attended, wept bitterly as hymns were being sung.
Students of the school also did an acrostic spelling of the children’s name while describing their personalities. One of Belica’s classmates then took to the podium to sing the popular ‘Sunday School’ rendition titled “Jesus loves the little children”, which brought many in the congregation to tears.
The eulogy was done by their uncle, Omoniyi Elcock, who spoke of how little Daniel enjoyed playing cricket and loved bowling despite
The children’s mother (next to the gentleman in the white shirt) looks at her hymn sheet
the fact he never mastered the art, which angered him at every game he attempted to play with friends. He also spoke of Balica’s wanting to be a fashion model as he recalled an instance when she cut her hair in an attempt to look like one of her favorite aunts.
Joy was described as a very reserved child who would instead of playing with children her age would rather sit around with grown-ups. During his presentation, Elcock paused several times to compose himself.
Following that, teachers of St. Mary’s Primary sang the hymn “Cheer up my brother”.
Meanwhile as the floor was open for tributes many came forward to offer the grieving family and friends words of sympathy. Most notably, a teacher of St. Mary’s urged her fellow teachers as well as residents “If you see something say something”.
Onica Blanchard, the mother of the three children, who was in the interior at the time of their death, took the opportunity to reflect on her life with them. She spoke of how close she was with her children as many nights they opted to share her bed with her.
“We had two beds in the house, one for them and one for me and their father, but every night they would prefer to come into our bed…now I don’t know how I will sleep at nights.”
Following the service, the children’s remains were transported to the Soesdyke Cemetery for interment.
Balica would have celebrated her 10th birthday on Sunday.
On Tuesday, last, the children’s father, John Blanchard, attacked them in their sleep at their Soesdyke home. Balica and Daniel died instantly, while Joy succumbed a few days later while being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. Their father has since been charged for the murders and has been remanded to prison.
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