BVI News

‘Father would never intentionally hurt that child’

By Davion Smith, BVI News Journalist

Realising he made what can be described as the single worst blunder of his life, Michael Fearon clutched the lifeless body of his beloved 11-month-old child, wrapped her in his arms, and crashed to the ground. He wailed inconsolably.

His daughter, baby Zaria died after being left alone in a vehicle for hours.

“I can’t see how he’s going to get over this,” said a close family friend, who told BVI News the grieving father has been placed on suicide watch at Peebles Hospital.

On the ill-fated day of April 30, Fearon left home with baby Zaria to carry out his daily routine of transporting her to the daycare before heading to work.

Stressed

But, with a high-stress job weighing on his mind on the morning in question, Fearon unwittingly skipped his usual daycare stop and headed straight for the Ritter Building on Wickham’s Cay II, where he works as the Chief Financial Officer for a trust company.

He did not realise the fatal oversight until the end of the workday — Zaria was pronounced dead at 5:30pm.

“Michael would never do anything to hurt that child. It’s just that, I figure, a million and one things are on his mind,” the family friend told BVI News.

“It’s not that I’m finding excuses. But, I suppose, we look at it and we ask ‘how could he?’. You, yourself, might also say that could never happen to you. But you just never know what could be going on in somebody’s brain that could cause something like that to happen,” the family friend said, adding that the distressed father was also in the process of relocating to a new home.

“I know the stress of work and the stress of moving. I think those may have been the key factors.”

Hurting mother

BVI News was told both parents of the infant are now ‘totally devastated’ by her death, which comes less than two weeks before what would have been baby Zaria’s first birthday.

The death has also landed the infant’s mother in hospital.

In the meantime, the distraught father is said to be in police custody as investigations into the matter progress.  

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32 Comments

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  1. Gumption. Official says:

    Humans here talking this and that not knowing how powerful their words can be. This is a very serious sad thing for the family. While some of you who are parents are on here focusing to write the best or worse comment, your child or children can be at risk…. A split second to answer the phone or door if your child is around water, LEGO blocks, power outlets etc. Things happen. The father is hurting, the mom is hurting, their family and friends are hurting. We as a community have to be more supportive. I know this man didn’t mean to harm his child…

    I pary that both the mom and dad get counciling and proper guidance. Mother’s Day is a few weeks and will be the most challenging. God help them.

  2. Mrs trenchbull says:

    This could have happened to the best of us. Let’s keep the family in prayer. Under God’s wings you will find solace. Never doubt for a moment that you are supported by the entire bvi community

  3. Killmonger says:

    My HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY ESPECIALLY THE FATHER. To live with this is not living at all he will need everyones help. SAD SAD WEEK.

  4. LKP says:

    Prayer goes up for both par parents and their families. RIP bay Ziria

  5. Forgive and stay strong says:

    I don’t know either parents but it’s a real sad situation and locking up the dad so quick made it more sad.I think they should release him at least on bail so he can have some kind of comfort to get pass that day. It was a honest mistake/accident that he would have to carry with him for the rest of his life. I think that is his punishment enough. All he need to ask the Lord and the mother of his child for forgiveness.And i’m say this from a mom that lost my baby due to a medical situation at one month, twelve years ago which feel like yesterday everyday. I also ended up in the hospital. I know that feeling when you have got connected and love someone so much that just came into the world and then they are gone.

    Hoping the mom and dad stay strong and everyone help them stay positive and comfort them. It’s such a sad situation i would not wish this on my worst enemy.

  6. Really??!! says:

    This is indeed a very sad situation. I cannot imagine the father’s pain right now, let alone his psyche. I imagine the mother is also devastated and hurting. I pray that God gives them the strength to cope and provide comfort to them in whatever way possible. May little Zaria rest in peace.

    In the mix of all this I was thinking and will make a kind suggestion to daycares to add to their list of protocols, a “call up” to parents/guardians to enquire about a child’s well being (unless advised otherwise) if they don’t turn up to school/daycare. I know it is already hectic but maybe a feature like this could have changed the outcome of this situation. Just saying though, not trying to put more pressure on your already hectic lives.

    • Agree says:

      I too agree to the calls. A few daycare do it because where I took my kids was one daycare/school that called when they don’t see my kids by a certain time.

      Please Daycare and Schools by doing this it will help from future tragedies like this from happening. We need to work as one like the old saying “it takes a village to raise a child”
      Parents don’t take it anyway as if they being in your business they are just making sure the well being of the child. Our kids actual spend more time with the daycare than home so they build a bond there with the teachers too.

    • SAME THING I WAS SAYING says:

      THE DAYCARE MY KIDS USE TO GO TOO USE TO CALL IF I DIDN’T SEND THEM AND I ALWAYS ADMIRE THAT ABOUT THEM.

  7. Heartbroken Parent says:

    I felt like I got punched in my stomach when I first heard about this tragedy. This is so heartbreaking. Being the parent of two small kids this one hurts to the core because it could have easily happened to me or to anyone else. Life can be so much to deal with at times and so hectic…and just one simple mistake can change everything forever. It’s easy to take things for granted and to criticize and judge until it happens to us. My heart goes out to both parents in this very, very difficult time. You both are in my prayers.
    Rest in eternal peace beautiful little baby.

  8. Fed Up says:

    Prayers and more prayers

  9. learn and then talk says:

    i will never try to justify what he did because it was negligence. but no father will want to hurt their child at least not the way.

    so instead for judging and talking about how he supposed to feel instead all we should do is pray for that family… because he has more kids and suicide its not the way.you will never feel like the wounded man unless you become the wounded man.

  10. Mysterious says:

    My heart cried out for the family i don’t know the man but i don’t think that he would hurt his baby girl in that way it was month end and the stress of work he forgot give him strength Lord

  11. BLESSED says:

    Lord please Bless and Comfort this Family.. God Bless You Always. Rest in Peace Angel.

  12. Que triste esta historia. Pero por mas dificil qur sea la cituacion debemos conocer que aunqur gracias a Dios no, nos a pasado a nosotros y oremos a Dios para que no pase. Asi que imagino que este Padre tiene mucho extres y ptoblemas que por esta razon olvido a su amada niña. No se puede jusgar a este hombre como un mal padre, solo devemos pedir a Dios que nos libres de cosas tan dolorosas comp esas.???????? says:

    historia. Pero por mas dificil qur sea la cituacion debemos conocer que aunqur gracias a Dios no, nos a pasado a nosotros y oremos a Dios para que no pase. Asi que imagino que este Padre tiene mucho extres y ptoblemas que por esta razon olvido a su amada niña. No se puede jusgar a este hombre como un mal padre, solo devemos pedir a Dios que nos libres de cosas tan dolorosas comp esas.????????

  13. Susana says:

    historia. Pero por mas dificil qur sea la cituacion debemos conocer que aunqur gracias a Dios no, nos a pasado a nosotros y oremos a Dios para que no pase. Asi que imagino que este Padre tiene mucho extres y ptoblemas que por esta razon olvido a su amada niña. No se puede jusgar a este hombre como un mal padre, solo devemos pedir a Dios que nos libres de cosas tan dolorosas comp esas.????????

    • Language says:

      We are an english speaking country. It is an insult to us BV-Islanders that ppl are allowed to post in spanish. Nobody should live here if they cannot speak english. We have over 100 Nations living in the BVI and everyone makes great efforts to communicate with us in ENGLISH, except if their language is spanish. I am sure HLSCC is offering courses. Thank you!

      • YOU TOO SERIOUS says:

        COPY AND PASTE IT IN GOOGLE TRANSLATE.

      • Bvislander too says:

        That’s a very stupid way of thinking.poor u

      • 9th Generation Belonger with land in the family says:

        It is no insult. Stop overreacting.

        Are you aware of how the internet works and that there are no national boundaries online? People from all over the WORLD can post on this site because it is accessible; as it is I am typing this comment to you from outside of the territory!

        Anyone reading this story and wanting to share compassion for the family whether they are from a Spanish-, French-, Dutch-, Portuguese-, German- or Danish-speaking country is entirely free to do so in whichever language they feel most comfortable and there is not a thing you can do about it.

        On behalf of other proud Virgin Islanders and Belongers who recognise that one of the great traits of our people beyond farming, fishing, making peppermint candy and ship-building in the olden days IS OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT to a changing world, and to be able to go anywhere in the world and THRIVE without fear of losing our VI ‘pedigree’. True Virgin Islanders are not so insecure as to believe that someone speaking another language is a threat to their existence.

        Please stop conflating a local news site with territorial geography and have a seat. Thank you.

      • LOOL says:

        Well take ur crusty bviLander ahh to HLSCC and take some SPANISH courses.

      • Angela says:

        could you please take your hostility somewhere else,we don’t need it here…..

  14. Susana candelario says:

    historia. Pero por mas dificil qur sea la cituacion debemos conocer que aunqur gracias a Dios no, nos a pasado a nosotros y oremos a Dios para que no pase. Asi que imagino que este Padre tiene mucho extres y ptoblemas que por esta razon olvido a su amada niña. No se puede jusgar a este hombre como un mal padre, solo devemos pedir a Dios que nos libres de cosas tan dolorosas comp esas.????????

  15. Sigh says:

    It could happen to anyone. There waa this one time I forgot my son at school and went home only to remember whilst getting off the bus and getting a phone call from the security at my work telling me that he got dropped off there when they didn’t see me coming to pick him up. So…it is possible amongst any of us human beings. The mind is a weird thing!

  16. Anonymous says:

    I too agree with daycare/baby sitters making a call in the future if they were not informed prior that a child/children does not shown up on that day. It can make a difference..
    Moving forward. My prayer goes out to both parents and their families….

  17. Rubber Duck says:

    Terrible. And it is easily done. He simply forgot and for that we should not punish the poor man anymore than he is already punished. I hope that he can somehow get over this and go on with his life.

  18. May the Lord have mercy on the family, very very sad. says:

    May the Lord have mercy on the family this is very very sad.

  19. sam the man says:

    This is tragic…words can’t express how they must feel knowing the father left his baby all day whilst he worked outside in a car and she subsequently died…however the police have a duty to detain him as he was allegedly responsible for his daughters death (this isn’t just a pet dog and even if it had of been he would have been charged for c——– – it was a baby ) – hopefully the sentence will be lenient as he has to live with this act of n—– for the rest of his life…lets not trivialize it though by playing down “it could have happened to any of us” – I don’t agree and there must I hope have been extreme extenuating circumstances as to why he was just so n———- and will now have to be charged with man———–…

  20. straight up says:

    people stop finding excuses for the father. This is what you call care——. C——— of both parents. Baby girl is in a better place now. God has her. There’s no doubt about that.

  21. Anonymous says:

    It’s a death and we all feel the pain but stop being so harsh on the Dad! Let’s all pray for him and Mom…as well!

  22. Disagree says:

    It can happen to anyone for 1 to few hours .. An entire day ..everyone under stress.

  23. Anonymous says:

    That is more than stress. We are all stressed. Then there should be more dead babies lying around in people’s cars. You’re sooo stresssed to forget the most precious thing you have for an entiiiiiire day. As if! If that is what we are calling an accident then human beings are lower than the animal kingdom…

  24. My Thoughts says:

    Someone needs to be held accountable for this child’s death. A dead child can’t just be found in her father’s car and everyone else looking on past this off as a mere accident. Then best you leave the pet dog to look after your babies and not the —-. I thought human beings were supposed to be held to a higher standard than this. smh. Real shame.

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