And while the family grapples with loss and unspeakable grief at the enormity and horror of this deranged attack, police have to figure out what they are going to charge Samuel August Senior for - because, it is not a clear cut case.
We start first with their account of what they found when they arrived on scene early yesterday morning:
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino - CIB
"Police received information that there was a backhoe damaging or destroying a residence on Faber's Road. As a result, police visited #6 Faber's Road, and there, they observed the building that was damaged to the front portion. In the debris, they found the motionless body of a 5 year-old who was later identified to be Samir August, and likewise, an elderly woman, 53 year-old Louise Young. From what police gathered from the investigation is that at around 2 a.m., Samuel August Sr., a 35 year-old employee with the City Council, drove the backhoe into the building, damaging the building, and inside the home at the time were 5 individuals: Samuel August Jr, a 13 year-old, Sam August, a 9 year-old, Samir August, a 5 year-old, Louise Young, a 53 year-old, Adelia Young, a 77 year-old, and Britney Craig, a 13 year-old. While damaging the building, there was damage to a nearby residence, a nearby home as well, and likewise, a van was extensively, in an adjacent year, which is the property of Atlantic Bank. After the incident, and police arrived at the scene, Mr. August took off in the backhoe, and he crashed into a - lost control of the backhoe, and ended up in a drain on Trinity Street. When police got him out of the machine, he had an injury to the head, and he was in an unconscious state. He was taken to the KHMH, where he is under police guard. Likewise, Miss Louise Young was taken to the hospital, and she passed away some shortly after. Samir August, the 5 year-old who was encountered at the scene initially, was pronounced dead on arrival."
Interestingly, the initial version from police classified this double tragedy as murder, but later that morning, the police press office requested that the media treat it as a "death investigation". We asked Inspector Ferrufino to justify that today, and here's what he said:
Reporter
"Can you explain to us what is the classification of this investigation, why it has been downgraded in a manner of speaking from a murder to a death investigation."
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino - CIB
"Well, the investigation is ongoing. As we speak, officer are gathering the evidence. We have been in consultation with the DPP's Office, and they are gathering evidence. So, at this point, it is a matter of differentiating between a murder and a death investigation, but I'm sure that as the investigation, then that will determine if Mr. August will be charged with murder, as opposed to manslaughter, or any other charges."
Reporter
"Have police been given any sort of information as to what could have possibly cause this gentleman to wreck his mother-in-law's house and kill his own son?"
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino
"Right, we do know that - I think it was a week ago, or sometime of recent, the grandmother, Ms. Louise Young, was given custody of the kids, and we are trying to determine if it was that the court had decided that the kids were given to her fully, or if it was just the process that was starting, and that the kids were going to be in her custody throughout the process. But, we understand that he was upset about the kids being given to the grandmother. So, that may have been the motive, but we are investigating."
Reporter
"Is there any suspicion that any sort of substance, such as alcohol, or was Mr. August in his full mental capacity when this happened?"
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino
"Well, like we said, when the police encountered him, when police got full contact with him, he was in the backhoe. They got him out; he was in an unconscious state. Blood has been extracted from him to determine if indeed he was under any substance at the time."
Reporter
"Sir, will your investigation include a psychiatric evaluation of Mr. August."
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino
"One is being done as we speak."
Reporter
"Are you able to give us any information as to the medical condition of the 13 year-old. We were told that she was in a critical state, and that supposedly, Mr. August chased her down in the backhoe, which is how they ended up in the adjacent yard."
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino
"Britney Craig, she's in a stable condition, and yes, after the initial destruction of the residence, she exited the house and was making her way into the adjacent residence, and he set chase after her in the backhoe."
Reporter
"Details such as this suggests malice and intent, sir. So, why is there a reconsideration of possibly manslaughter as compared to murder?"
Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino
"There is no reconsideration at this point. We're just indicating that the investigation is ongoing. We're trying to obtain the relevant information, and that will allow us to best decide on what charges will be levied."
Shortly after the press conference, Deputy Police Commissioner Chester Williams told the press that at this time, the charge that will most likely be brought against August is manslaughter. It has been determined that he was intoxicated at the time of this backhoe rampage. Also, according to Williams, that psychiatric evaluation which Inspector Ferrufino spoke about has indicated that August is suffering from mental health issues, and he will be admitted to a medical facility to treat it.
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