By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A CAREGIVER yesterday testified that the daughter-in-law of the elderly woman she was hired to look after threatened to harm her earlier this year.
In February, Brenhilda Lightbourne was accused of cursing and threatening to cause harm to Olive Dyer.
When she first appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis, she denied the allegation and the matter was adjourned for trial.
Yesterday, when Ms Dyer took the stand to testify against Lightbourne, she said she and the accused lived at the same premises, although she lived on the second story of the building while the accused resided in a unit downstairs.
Ms Dyer said on the day in question, she went downstairs to collect a package from a friend. She said when she passed Lightbourne’s door, the woman asked her where she was going leaving her mother-in-law in the house by herself. Ms Dyer said she chose not to answer Lightbourne and instead returned upstairs when she realised that the man who was supposed to bring the package to her had not arrived as yet.
She said when she called him to find out where he was, he told her to come back downstairs again, but when she did, Lightbourne began questioning her once more.
“She said, ‘Why you leave my mother-in-law in the house by herself?’ So I call my boss and when she reach, the two of them started arguing, but I went back upstairs,” Ms Dyer said.
“Around 3pm when I was preparing dinner I heard Brenhilda come upstairs and tell me ‘Olive if you know what’s good for you you will stay upstairs because if you come down, I will (expletive) you up.’ She made me feel very scared so I called my boss and ask her to take me to the Grove (Police) Station.”
During the hearing Lightbourne was represented by attorney Kendal Wright.
During his cross-examination of Ms Dyer, he contended that she was “never threatened” by his client.
“I put it to you that it was long before 3pm when there was a young man coming upstairs to you and Brenhilda would have said ‘Why are you exposing my mother-in-law to people who were not wearing masks,’” he asserted. “I put it to you that you (then) said ‘Mind your own business or I will (expletive) you up.’”
In response, Ms Dyer vehemently denied the accusations and maintained her original story.
The case continues on June 2.
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