Sashane Berry, a crash victim, remembered as beautiful and polite

Sashane Berry, better known as ‘Sash’, was buried at Ewarton Cemetery in St. Catherine yesterday, April 21, amid lingering suspicion especially among her relatives over what may have caused her demise.

She died on the night of February 12 while travelling during curfew hours from an illegal party held at Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine.

The 28-year-old was heading out of Lluidas Vale when the motor car in which she was travelling crashed into a mound of earth at Water Sink – a section of Lluidas Vale main road that runs through Worthy Park Sugar Estate.

She was sitting in the front passenger seat of the vehicle, which reportedly had four other people aboard. She is the only one who died.

A private investigator, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved family yesterday, told The Beacon that, based on the autopsy report, Berry died of ‘blunt-force trauma to the head’.

He said the family is of the view that Berry was murdered.

The private investigator is particularly puzzled that the deceased has two ‘sharp wounds’ to the right side of her neck – wounds that he said appear to have been inflicted using a sharp weapon such as a knife.

He said the crash survivors have stated that there was no foul-play.

Notwithstanding the lingering concern, friends and relatives gathered in brilliant afternoon sunshine to give Berry a memorable send-off. The day’s proceedings commenced with the viewing of Berry’s corpse in her home community of Orangefield, Linstead.

No church service was held; that’s because they have been banned in an effort to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The government also announced that no more than 15 people should attend a burial.

That stipulation did not prevent more than 100 mourners – mainly young people, from descending on Ewarton Cemetery to pay their last respect to a woman, who, from all indications, was well known and well loved.

Natalee Edwards, who delivered the eulogy at the grave-side, said the late Berry always was treated like the family’s princess partly due to her beauty.

“Ever since Sashane was a baby, she was admired for her beauty; she was exquisite,” Edwards said.

She also described Berry as humble, soft-spoken, polite, and ambitious.

Edwards added that Berry was the only daughter for her mother, Cherry Anderson, who operates a bar at Orangefield district.

“Sashane conducted all of Cherry’s business – pay her bills, pay round robin and even go to the bank,” she told the gathering.

“Sashane spent a significant amount of time helping her mom in the bar, which was the family business… Being the only daughter for Cherry, they were like sisters. They both enjoyed each other’s company so much. Cherry loved and lived for ‘Sash’.”

Berry attended Nutshell Basic School, Orangefield Primary, and Enid Bennett High (formerly Bog Walk High School).

She is also a graduate of the Above Rocks Vocational Training Centre (HEART), where she attained a Level I certificate in Housekeeping.

While working with one of her mother’s friends, Berry became pregnant. Her only child, Jaylon, was seen among the mourners yesterday – looking oblivious to the gravity of his loss.

Berry is also survived by her father Bertram, her mother, a grandfather, both grandmothers, three brothers, two sisters, 11 aunts, and four uncles.

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