In a strange twist of events yesterday, a 30-year-old female relative of stabbing victim Aaliyah Flemming was detained by police on Wednesday night after she gave police details of the incident. The child's father, David Flemming, who was released from police custody for allegedly stabbing the child, said he would never do anything to harm his daughter. "I did not stab my daughter...I would never do anything to harm her," Flemming said after he was released from police custody. Aaliyah, nine, was stabbed at her home at Quarry Road, Morne Diablo, on Tuesday. The San Fernando Girls' Anglican pupil is warded at San Fernando General Hospital.
Flemming gave himself up after he was told by his mother that he was wanted by police for stabbing his wife and daughter. He contacted the police and went to the Penal station where he was questioned and detained. Police said that upon Flemming's release, they called in the relative who was interrogated and who gave them certain details. She remained in custody up to late yesterday as police continued their probe. In a telephone interview yesterday, Flemming said he broke down in tears as he caught a glimpse of his daughter at hospital. He said that he was denied entry into the ward by security after he produced his identification card and told them he was the girl's father.
"Life is very strange, I could have never predicted this," he said. "I left home on Tuesday morning to get my car fixed at a garage in Rio Claro. "I came back to Penal to pick up some parts around 2 pm when I got a phone call from my mother...She told me that I was wanted by police for stabbing my wife and daughter." Flemming said he rushed home and found his house ransacked, with blood on the furniture.
"I came home I saw the whole bedroom washed in blood and all the furniture mashed up, the electrical cord for the deep freeze was burst up and broken glasses all over," he said. Flemming said that he went to a gas station on the Penal Rock Road and got the number for the police station. "How could I watch my daughter who I love dearly and do something like that," he said. "I am sure my daughter will embrace me because she knows I was never a threat to her life...This life is very difficult and strange."