The mother of Benjamin Bair has expressed “mixed feelings” following Monday’s sentencing of the driver of the garbage truck that crushed and killed her seven-year-old son on the grounds of the Clan Carthy Primary School in October 2019.
“It's mixed feelings, I want to have some sympathy and leniency on him but then again I see (where) it could’ve been prevented,” Japhene Campbell told OBSERVER ONLINE after truck driver Alten Brooks was sentenced to one year and seven months imprisonment for manslaughter.
“The worst part of it,” added Campbell, is that Brooks throughout the entire court matter “has never looked at me and said ‘sorry’.
“I lost my one son, it’s really hard, it’s really hard and tough on the family,” Campbell said.
READ: Driver of garbage truck that killed Clan Carthy schoolboy sentenced to one year and seven months
The distraught mother indicated that she will be pursuing legal action against the owner of the truck, who she accused of being negligent.
“I leave everything to my lawyer,” said Campbell.
On Monday October 28, 2019, Bair was on the compound of the school located in St Andrew waiting to be picked up when the tragedy unfolded.
Brooks – according to details read into the records of the court by the prosecution – drove onto the compound at approximately 4:30 pm accompanied by two side men. Upon reaching the garbage area, he was told to operate the compactor which ran on the throttle of the vehicle by the side men so they could get more space in the truck for the garbage that was there.
Brooks, the court heard, used a stick to press down on the accelerator pedal in the truck before exiting the truck and heading to the back of the truck. While outside the truck, it drove off at a high speed and collided into a Toyota motorcar which was parked on the compound causing it to overturn.
While the students in the schoolyard at the time ran to avoid being hit, Bair, who the court was told, also started to run, was trapped by the truck which overturned on him killing him on the spot.
After fleeing the scene, Brooks turned himself over to the police three days later.
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