Monday, March 31, 2014
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
A GRAND Bahama father was outraged over the lack of age restrictions at local clubs after his 15-year-old daughter was shot to death outside a bar yesterday.
The death of Alexis Aliea Smith marked the island’s third murder for the year, and the second to take place outside of a nightclub. This is the country’s 25th murder for the year.
Lloyd Smith, 77, said he believes his daughter would still be alive had she not been allowed to enter the Platinum Lounge in Eight Mile Rock early Sunday morning.
According to police, Alexis was shot in the head in front of the bar located in Kings Subdivision sometime before 3am.
Last night, police were searching for Basil Blake, alias “TJ” of Pine Dale, Eight Mile Rock in connection with the matter.
Mr Smith said: “How could a child that age get into that club, that’s what I want you to print. How could she get in that club? No way was she supposed to be in that club. If they had checked she would never have been in the club.”
“They should have had security, and check to see who going in that club. There should be some restrictions around there. How could she get in that club with no one stopping her?”
Mr Smith admitted that Alexis had a troubled past, and was not going to school at the time of her death. He added that she had been sent to Nassau twice to the Industrial School for Girls for “behavioural issues”.
Grand Bahama’s second murder victim, 27-year-old Ramado Rolle, was shot at a club on Queens Highway shortly before 2 am on March 9. Mr Rolle died of his injuries at the Rand Memorial Hospital.
Anyone with information that can assist police in their investigations are asked to contact the police at telephone numbers 350- 3107/8, 911, 919 or call the nearest police station.
Comments
B_I_D___ says...
Sadly, there are no controls at any of these nightclubs when it pertains to age checks...pretty much if you are tall enough to see over the bar, you'll get served. Particularly when it comes to the ladies...the 'bouncers' will always be lenient with the ladies!!
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:07 a.m. Suggest removal
Cornel says...
Don't blame the bar when you let a 15 year old stay out all night.
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:08 a.m. Suggest removal
B_I_D___ says...
Agree with you on that point as well...as much as we would like to think our kids are well behaved angels, no matter how hard you try to protect them if they are mischievous enough, they will find a way to get around you. Sounds like this gal was a bit of a trouble maker anyways. Interesting...a 77 year old father of a 15 year old...wonder what was going on there...but that's another discussion...either way, if you are parenting properly and mindful of your kids, you should know what they are up to past midnight...heck...past 10:00 and I'd be asking a whole bunch of question of who what where or why!!
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:20 a.m. Suggest removal
BahamianAway says...
Sounds like some crazy stuff cause based on math he had this child at 62. Now I am no doctor but I figured if he was talking to a woman around his own age she would be at minimum around 55 (maybe 50 at MINIMUM she should be). Now again not speaking from any experience but last I did check most 50-55 year old women aren't having children. So I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the mother is old old enough to be the daughter of the said 77yr old father.
But as stated that's another matter that might not be to far from what the actual issue is. Why this child was misbehaved and mis-guided. It appears she comes from a dysfunctional family...
Sad to say while it is a tragedy she died and yes Bahamian club owners need to be regulated, only people to really blame are her parents. Because if they were indeed doing the job of PARENTING her behind would have been home or at the very least they would have known where she was at.
The father clearly stated she was a troublemaker- so if she wasn't shot in that club she might have been shot somewhere else. This is what happens when you surround yourself with that kind of crowd.
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:48 a.m. Suggest removal
Eban says...
Very well said!!!
Posted 1 April 2014, 11:16 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Amen, Cornel............ maybe 77 year old Pops had no clue where his teen daughter was
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:19 a.m. Suggest removal
B_I_D___ says...
77 year old pops was probably asleep by 8pm.
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:45 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Many possibilities exists here: was she working in the club? Was she there with a grown man? Was she a hooker? Was she under the influence? Was she there with other female friends/family? Was she there with her mother?
I would like to hear the results of the investigation.... and dont sweep this under the rug
Posted 31 March 2014, noon Suggest removal
B_I_D___ says...
All very valid and plausible questions.
Posted 31 March 2014, 12:20 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
I am sorry for all concern, The father seems a bit to old to have such a young child. He should not blame the club, she was to young to be out of her home at 3:am The club is not the parent. But maybe he was speaking out of his pain.
Posted 31 March 2014, 12:27 p.m. Suggest removal
PastorTroy says...
#“Mr Smith said: “How could a child that age get into that club, that’s what I want you to print. How could she get in that club? No way was she supposed to be in that club. If they had checked she would never have been in the club.”
#“They should have had security, and check to see who going in that club. There should be some restrictions around there. How could she get in that club with no one stopping her?”
#Mr Smith admitted that Alexis had a troubled past, and was not going to school at the time of her death. He added that she had been sent to Nassau twice to the Industrial School for Girls for “behavioural issues”........ BLAME, BLAME, BLAME, EVERYONE BUT THE PARENTS! Although this is a very situation, my prayers goes out to the family. With such immature and reckless comments by this 'sperm donor' it more than obvious he should not been having kids at 21 and definitely not in his 60's. SMDH
Posted 31 March 2014, 3:20 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Hello!!!!!!!!!! Its always a blame game.......... parents,teachers, reverends, police, politicians, gangsters, foreigners, Haitians, white people, slave masters, friends, family, lovers....... God, Jah, Jesus, Devil etc.
U gatta have a scapegoat.........................Thats the Bahamian way.
Posted 31 March 2014, 3:29 p.m. Suggest removal
Purcell says...
Blame everybody for her death but your bad parenting. Pathetic.
Posted 31 March 2014, 4:18 p.m. Suggest removal
Maya242 says...
Its unfortunate that this had to happen but in my honest opinion this is NOT the club's fault. True, she wasnt suppose to been allowed entrance since she's under age but as the father of a 15 yr old female YOU'RE suppose to know where she at and what she doing wayyyy before those type of hours come around. According to the article this happened sometime around 3 am....by 9-10pm girls her age should be gettn ready for bed or already in it. Not everyone tht goes to the club carry ID, you don't know what she told them to get in so there was truely no real way avoid this other than her staying home :-\ Even SHE knew that she wasn't suppose to be there so do the math.
R.I.P -
Posted 31 March 2014, 4:22 p.m. Suggest removal
GrassRoot says...
whats wrong with you people. This is a 15 year old child.. Shot. In her head. Don't make her the perpetrator here. There is a person out there to shot her in her head for no reason, with a gun that most certainly not registered. And that person is on the run. who cares why he killed her. Fact is he killed her. We can not protect the weak, even if they make a mistake and "are bad"? Please.
Posted 31 March 2014, 4:49 p.m. Suggest removal
wearedone says...
This is why this country is falling deeper into a craphole. Accepting this crime and wanting to blame the young girl or her dad is pathetic. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for the comments posted here. No matter how old the girl was, she did not deserve to be shot assholes.
Posted 31 March 2014, 9:35 p.m. Suggest removal
killemwitdakno says...
Securities of anywhere, pilots, ect need to be armed too.
Posted 31 March 2014, 11:31 p.m. Suggest removal
KM says...
My condolences to the family and friends . need to be more strict when it comes to these clubs. Today any girl can get in the club once she put on some make up and heals ,its ridiculous. Another thing, why is a 15 year old girl out at that time? With all the "vickedness" going on in the world let alone the Bahamas ,i'd think parents would want to shelter their kids. We need to put measures in place to prevent such a tradgedy. No one wants the curfew thing because we are democratic, but sometimes situations like this calls for drastic measures. The person responsible for her death should be sentenced to death. Now a days people want to play God but there is only one God. No one has the right to take a life! NO ONE. Restrictions need to be enforced at these night clubs, and parents need to become more active in their child's life. Know who they are going out with, know their whereabouts. At that age the only outing I got is with my church family. Be more active parents no matter how old you are you are still a parent. These children need some guidance. God be with us all.
Posted 31 March 2014, 6:39 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
The CLUB MATH is simple: (young) girls attract guys and guys spend money. But regardless of where it happened it is still a murder. Someone's life was taken and Bahamian soil is again stained with BLOOD! Just a short drive thru New Providence yesterday (Sunday) brought awareness of how prevalent violence, disharmony and conflict is in this country..maybe someone could answer why?
First Stop, Montagu by the fish ramp. Two grown men (one really oversized) got into an argument. After being separated from fighting several times, they left the scene but both of them promised 'it was not over" and they was going to "deal with " the other one wherever they meet up . Another digit added to the murder count?
Stop #2: Coming around the junction by government house. A group of Bahamian teens coming off the beach, mostly girls. The language is loud and foul. Very foul, in fact with threats of violence and mayhem. A tourist couple is walking towards the group. They cross the street in fear and to avoid confrontation. Whose children? Daughters especially? Carrying on in this fashion, downtown on a Sunday? Making a despicable scene on a blessed Sunday morning?
Incident #3 Just a little bit further down the street in front of Dunkin Dunuts by the Bay and blue hill junction, A lady (ok lets say female because she didn't act ladylike at all) is on her cell phone and she is loud. Conversation is like this; "you was never no good, and you aint ger never change. You is a no good man!"
Assault #4 Just a short time later a young man is on Goodman's Bay. He is talking to a young girl when another young man approaches and starts staring the first man down from head to toe. So the first young man ask if there is a problem. So the second man says something like, 'Don't watch me, watch the road." He then leaves and returns with two other men with intentions of 'ganging' the young man who was talking to the girl. Fortunately other young men who were playing ball on the beach notice what is happening and they intervene, allowing the man who was being attacked to get in his car and leave safely.
What is going on Bahamas?
Posted 31 March 2014, 7:41 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Unfortunately, Bahamian men are killing and been killed over women......... since Bible days
Posted 31 March 2014, 7:52 p.m. Suggest removal
LexxBrown says...
Lets be realistic, kids running circles around parents. Some of you that are commenting are parents of children doing the most crap and you don't even know it. I blame that BAR or CLUB! Stop letting kids in these clubs. Standards over Money!
Posted 31 March 2014, 8:50 p.m. Suggest removal
spoitier says...
It is quite possible for someone to sneak out of the house after the parents send them to bed. Yes, he is kind of old to be having children but the fact that the tribune mention that is for a smear campaign against him, I've seen good parents with kids just as bad as her.
That still doesn't give anyone a reason to hit or kill her, Bahamian man have to understand that women are not possessions.
Posted 31 March 2014, 9:32 p.m. Suggest removal
patriciaburrows says...
15 year old who obviously had challenges. If I were the security guard just looking at her when she came to get in the club I would never have asked for an ID because she looks much older ttthan 15. Secondly why was she allowed to leave your house to go out. You obviously looking for someone to take responsibility for your negligence as the parent. We are mandated by the ggood book to bring up our children in the fear and admonition of God and even if they stray they will return. I judge no one and offer my condolences but be comforted that earth has no ssorrow that heaven can not cure.
Posted 1 April 2014, 6:14 a.m. Suggest removal
resiaspieces says...
STOP PLAYING THE BLAME GAME GOD KNOWS BEST.
ITS SAD BECAUSE I HAVE KIDS AND WE NEED TO ACT LIKE PARENTS AND NOT LIKE WE ARE THEIR FRIENDS.
Posted 1 April 2014, 11:39 a.m. Suggest removal
arussell says...
Youll people better wake up these children nowadays are very much advance and forward! It's clear that this young girl had many issues and was doing all sorts of things that she shouldn't have been doing. We as Bahamians should be looking at this as a lesson rather than casting blames I know many person male and female who grow up in homes that were well parented and heck who's parents were pastors and church goers turn out to be criminals. I'm sure we all have some family member who are similar situations as this young girl (niece,sister daughter or cousins). We must realize that it takes a village to grow up a child. RIP
Posted 1 April 2014, 11:41 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Train up a child in the way ................. thats no cliche, thats Bible. Unfortunately, most children grow up in homes where there are no moral teaching going on........ then on top of that we have LGBT
Posted 1 April 2014, 2:37 p.m. Suggest removal
Bahamianpride says...
what a trajedy, but what makes matters worse is comments by her 77 year old father, they say there's no fool like an old fool but this fool is on a different level of irresponsible and stupid. God rest her soul, poor child we don't get to pick our parents
Posted 1 April 2014, 3:06 p.m. Suggest removal
Log in to comment