News

Woman bitten to death by dogs laid to rest

By ANDREA DOWNER, Staff Reporter

The coffin of Amy Murphy at her funeral, which was held at the Kingston City Mission Church in Hannah Town on Sunday. At right, in the front pew are, from left her grandchildren, Rohan Walker, Orrett Walker and Majorie Walker, her daughter, Doreth Walker and her husband. - Norman Grindley

AMY MURPHY, THE 81-year-old resident of the Golden Age Home in East Kingston who was allegedly bitten to death by dogs two months ago, was buried on Sunday.

The funeral, which was held at the Kingston City Mission Church in Hannah Town, was low-keyed and lacked the drama that surrounded Murphy's death.

The funeral was attended by a large number of family members and members of the church which Murphy attended before she went to the Golden Age Home to live.

The golden ager's death sparked a ripple of responses from various persons. Reverend J. Hart, in his sermon at the funeral, described Murphy's death as tragic.

It is alleged that Murphy was bitten to death by a pack of vicious dogs while she was taking a pre-dawn stroll on the compound of the home.

Portia Simpson Miller, Minister of Local Government, visited the Golden Age Home hours after her death and publicly condemned the circumstances under which she died. She also requested an immediate investigation into the incident to determine if Murphy's death was as a result of the home's negligence.

The following day, a team from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) and Guardsman Ltd. began rounding up the majority of the pack of 200 killer dogs that are suspected to have committed the killing and killed them with lethal injections of euthanol.

The Jamaican public also responded. First with disbelief, shock and anger at how the woman had died and ironically, similar reactions when it was published in THE STAR that the dogs that were believed to be responsible had been killed.

Murphy lived at the home for two years prior to her death, yet no one from the Golden Age Home attended her funeral. There was also no representative from the Local Government Ministry.

Doreth Walker, Murphy's daughter was puzzled: "I found it very strange that no one from the home attended, they could have done better," she said.

She said her attorney had advised them when the funeral was scheduled to take place.

Major Desmond Clarke, head of the Golden Age Home, admitted to THE STAR that he was aware that the funeral would have been on Sunday. He said however, that he would not comment on why no one from the home attended.

The absence of persons who probably should have attended did nothing to deter those who were determined to send off "Miss Amy," in style and with dignity despite, arguable, the undignified circumstances under which she died.

Ultimate reward

A number of relatives and friends of Miss Amy poured out various tributes to the dear old lady. She was remembered as a hard worker in the City Mission Church, a church sister, an aunt, grandaunt and grandmother.

Her granddaughter, Majorie Walker, remembered her grandmother as a seamstress who was also very skilled at embroidery. According to the eulogy that she read, Murphy grew up in St. Mary before moving to Kingston where she became a very active member of the City Mission Church, who was always in various parishes ministering until she became too ill to continue.

Reverend Hart in his sermon, insisted that Murphy was blessed despite how she died. He said the Bible does not specify particular ways that people should die in order to be blessed, but rather that it was the person's quality of life that determined their ultimate reward. In support of his claim, he stated that a number of biblical icons met violent deaths in less than perfect circumstances. He said some where thrown to the lions, others were flayed (skinned), and a few stoned while others were crucified.

Indicating that Murphy had conquered death despite the method by which she met her maker, at the peak of his very spirited delivery he shouted, "You tink dis can happen to this sista again? You tink dog can bite up spiritual body?" he thundered rhetorically, even though he received loud responses from the congregation.

Paul Hart, Murphy's grandnephew was visibly touched by his grandaunt's passing as he had difficulty controlling his tears as the coffin was being wheeled from the church. His wife Wendy, was seen comforting him as he attempted to contain his grief. He told THE STAR that prior to Murphy's death, he had not seen her in a while and he was saddened by her passing.