Allison Jean speaks out after Keston Delaire’s murder

Allison Jean, executive director of the Botham Jean Foundation, has felt the pain of losing her son, who was shot dead in his Texas home by an off-duty police officer who claimed he mistook the young man’s apartment for hers. She has offered her condolences to the mother of the latest murder victim in St. Lucia.

In the early hours of Monday morning, Keston Delaire was wounded by multiple bullets in his home in Fond Assau, Babonneau. He died at the scene.

A family member said the attackers, dressed in camouflage, banged on the door, said they were police officers and ordered the family to open the door.

Once inside, the attackers shot 29-year-old Delaire dead.

Allison Jean’s son, Botham Jean, was 26 years old when he was shot and killed by off-duty police officer Amber Guyger on the evening of September 6, 2018, as the unarmed young accountant sat eating ice cream in his living room.

Guyger, who was eventually sentenced to ten years in prison for murder, claimed she thought Botham’s apartment was a burglar.

The deceased’s family established the Botham Jean Foundation to continue his philanthropic legacy and support those who need it most.

In this context, the foundation awarded two scholarships to local students on Tuesday.

After the presentation, Botham’s mother, Allison Jean, offered her condolences to the mother of Babonneau murder victim Keston Delaire in an interview with reporters.

“My condolences go out to the mother,” Jean said.

“I think it’s heartbreaking for a mother to see her son, no matter who that son was, what he was – I don’t know much about it. But for a mother to see her son shot, I think it’s a horrible act. It’s an act that we have to condemn,” she said.

Jean emphasized that while conflicts can arise, people need to resolve them in different ways.

“But killing him in front of his mother is the worst act a person can commit, and that person will pay for what he did,” she told reporters.

“Because when you lose a child, you feel it in your stomach, let alone see the child being killed in front of your eyes. I find this appalling, I condemn it, and all of Saint Lucia must condemn it.”

When asked about strategies to reduce crime on the island, Jean stressed the need for a comprehensive approach.

She noted that the Botham Jean Foundation plays its role by contributing to the youth, providing support and providing essential resources.

“What we do in the foundation is an attempt to reach the youth, those who need it, those who need counseling, food, supplies, (and) those who need skills.”

Jean recognised that tackling crime requires a collective effort and that this cannot be achieved by the foundation alone.

She therefore urged the community to take an active role in crime prevention.

“We need to look into our communities and try to reach out to some of these young men and women who we see being lazy. Sometimes you can see the formation of these gangs and these criminal forces and so we need to reach out on an individual basis and not turn a blind eye to it,” Jean said.

“Another thing is that we are afraid to speak up. People are afraid to speak up. The police cannot do it alone. The police are not magicians, so they need evidence. They need eyewitnesses to come forward,” she added.

Jean stressed that tackling crime is not an easy task and that everyone must do their part.