“I try my best not to think about it, because when I go deep to think about it, I get really emotional.”
One year after a brutal attack in his home, Kevin Jn Baptiste explained that he continues to grapple with the emotional and physical scars left by the incident.
The attack on October 6, 2023, was a life-changing one for the Castries resident who uses a wheelchair and had long reported harassment from patrons at a bar next to his home.
That Friday night, Kevin became a physical assault victim after an irate man entered his apartment.
The bar patron attacked after Kevin complained about cigarette smoke from the bar entering his CDC home.
The attack left him with significant dental injuries, including issues that Kevin revealed still prevent him from eating comfortably.
“I still have retainers in my mouth. I still cannot eat on my front tooth,” he explains, “Currently I have realised that anytime I eat cold things or even drink tea, it’s really uncomfortable and after a year it’s even worse,” he told St. Lucia Times.
According to the victim, the psychological toll has also been severe.
He noted that the trauma continues to weigh heavily on his mental health.
“It’s not something that I really want to think about or talk about because I don’t want to go back there,” he added.
Kevin told St. Lucia Times that recently, the court ordered the perpetrator to pay $5,000 by November 3, 2024
However, the road to recovery remains challenging for Kevin as he tries to reclaim a sense of normalcy after his traumatic experience.
Headline photo: Kevin Jn Baptiste being interviewed by Hot 7 Television (File image)
Made possible by the CCC putting this bar downstairs this disabled person’s home. Another gentleman who never smoked in his life contracted COPD from second hand smoke from on of these bars. What a crazy country this is. True helen of the wild west.
Hold on… the perpetrator entered into this man’s home (forcefully?) and attacked him to the point that he has lingering effects A YEAR LATER, and he was made to pay $5,000 by the court?! That was the punishment!?!? He didn’t take a jail?! Made to pay for the victim’s medical bills?!
If it’s not already obvious, the SLU Court system needs an overhaul.
Only $5000 for unlawful entry, assault on a disabled individual, bodily harm, and malicious intent? I’m moving to St.Lucia…apparently you can do anything and get away with it!
Wow. What kind of law is this. Only $5000 for all this. What lawyer would settle for that kind if injustice.
This man should have contacted a lawyer overseas to defend his case.
From all the news that I keep reading from Saint Lucia is see its a lawless place where people do whatever they widh and the law would just tap them on the shoulders.
What à place. Helen of the West or Hell of the West, which.
Someone I know had a terrible accident in the city due to falling down a drain which was left open and no safety notice around it in 2019. Court case awaiting another day for hearing since last year November.
$5000.00? What joke is this, this guy should be paying the victim monies for the rest of his life.
Hell will always be burning someone did this to a disabled man and that’s his punishment, boy I tell you no wonder why the country is infected with crime
Learn to handle your alcohol better.