LETTER: The Shameless Attack on a Grieving Mother. Nasty Journalism by Nikki Phoenix

Dear Editor

In the age of sensationalism, some individuals have taken advantage of grief, distorting the pain of mourning for their own selfish gains.

In the recent case of Ms. Asabi Charles, the mother of 15-year-old Achazia James, who was brutally killed, Nikki Phoenix, a so-called “journalist,” has gone beyond the limits of decency, launching a vicious and unwarranted attack on a grieving mother.

Nikki Phoenix, in a blatant effort to gain social media clout, took aim at Ms. Charles for refusing to align with a petition created by unknown individuals.

Instead of respecting the personal choices of a woman shattered by her daughter’s horrific death, Phoenix insinuates that Ms. Charles is somehow distracted by ulterior motives—an outrageous and baseless claim that serves only to demean and discredit a mother in pain.

The audacity of Phoenix’s statement, suggesting that Ms. Charles is seeking “something else” rather than justice for her daughter, is nothing short of despicable. It is a cruel attempt to manipulate public opinion, twisting a private and painful reality into something salacious for her audience.

Ms. Charles has every right to grieve in her own way, free from harassment and guilt-tripping from armchair activists hiding behind their social media accounts.

In a further attempt to humiliate the mother, Phoenix goes on to criticize the funeral of young Achazia, hinting at its “lavishness.” This low blow is not only tasteless but downright malicious.

Does Phoenix believe that a mother in mourning should somehow be ashamed of how she chooses to honor her child’s memory? To attack the manner in which a family lays their child to rest reveals an astounding level of callousness.

Nikki Phoenix, in her pursuit of attention, has lost sight of the basic tenets of journalism—truth, respect, and dignity.

Rather than using her platform to demand justice for Achazia, she has turned her focus to slandering a mother, who is still reeling from the trauma of losing her child in a barbaric act of violence. This is not journalism; this is exploitation.

There is no justice in attacking Ms. Charles. There is no justice in accusing her of being distracted, especially when no arrests have been made and no one has been charged for her daughter’s murder. True justice would be holding the killers accountable, not vilifying the victims left behind.

At the heart of this story is a mother’s grief, a family’s sorrow, and a community in pain. Instead of amplifying these voices and pushing for real justice, Phoenix has chosen to engage in dirty, opportunistic tactics, aiming for shock value at the cost of human compassion. This type of journalism is toxic, and we, as a society, must reject it.

Ms. Charles should not be forced to align herself with any cause or person unless it’s on her terms. No one can dictate how she should grieve, and no one should weaponize her loss for their own benefit. Phoenix’s actions are not only reckless but deeply harmful, serving only to further the trauma experienced by this grieving family.

Let’s not allow the noise from shameless individuals to detract from the real issue here: the urgent need for justice for Achazia James.

Let’s stand with Ms. Charles and demand that those responsible for this heinous crime be brought to justice. And let’s call out Nikki Phoenix’s vile attempts to gain attention at the expense of the bereaved, for what they truly are: nasty journalism at its worst.

Ms Lucinda McKenzie