The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

The father of murdered 12-year-old Adriel Moxey has died after a short battle with cancer, according to a close friend, who believes that in reality, he died of a broken heart.

Roberto Rolle, 45, was laid to rest in Grand Bahama over the weekend, weeks after he died following a stomach cancer diagnosis. He had hoped to seek treatment in Cuba, but was unable to do so after his passport was damaged.

Wendy Fox, from FOAM’s Grand Bahama base, who delivered a tribute at his funeral, told The Tribune yesterday she believes Mr Rolle really died of a broken heart having never got over his daughter’s death.

“He's a real person and like I tell everybody, he died from a broken heart. He just wanted his daughter,” she said.

Moxey, a seventh-grade student, was sexually assaulted and later killed on November 18, 2024.

Her body, clad with a t-shirt and piece of cloth around her throat,  was discovered two days later in bushes off a track road near Faith Avenue.

Police have since charged 35-year-old Chris Ferguson in connection with her death.

Mr Rolle was heartbroken by the tragedy, telling The Tribune last year he believed he failed his daughter and could’ve done more to protect her.

He said he raised Adriel until she was five, even though he had never confirmed whether he was her biological father.

“I used to babysit the girl since she was like eight days old up until she was five,” he said at the time.  “I used to change her pampers, change her bottle. I did everything. I done do so much for that little girl, even if she wasn’t my child, she was my child.”

She said Mr Rolle often spoke about the child after her death, regretting not securing custody and providing a better environment for her.

“He never was happy. Never,” she said. “He was always saying he wanted his child. He lived with regret as in him not having his child and him not being there for his child when his child really needed him the most.”

She described his death as a devastating loss for the family, who loved him dearly.

He leaves behind a son.