Rashawn âTurtleâ Shabazz
Source: Antigua Observer
The father of Rashawn Shabazz says repeated court orders directing that his son be housed at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital instead of His Majesty’s Prison were never enforced, a failure he believes ultimately contributed to his son’s death.
Speaking on Observer AM, Khalid Shabazz said his son, who had lived with mental illness for more than 15 years, died just days before his 36th birthday following an incident at His Majesty’s Prison on July 23. He said the justice and mental health systems repeatedly failed to implement legal directives intended to ensure his son received psychiatric care rather than remaining incarcerated.
According to Khalid Shabazz, court orders issued by the late Magistrate Conliffe Clarke and later by Magistrate Dexter Wason instructed that Rashawn Shabazz be transferred to Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital. However, he alleged those orders were never carried out.
He claimed authorities justified the decision by describing his son as aggressive, but argued that such behaviour is often associated with severe mental illness and should not have prevented him from receiving treatment in an appropriate medical facility.
Khalid Shabazz also maintained that his son was not serving a sentence for a criminal conviction related to the recent incident but was being held at the prison because of his mental health condition.
He further alleged that Rashawn’s case reflects a broader problem, claiming that other individuals with mental illnesses are also being housed at His Majesty’s Prison instead of receiving treatment at psychiatric facilities. He argued that Antigua and Barbuda has not invested sufficiently in mental health services, trained personnel and specialised care needed to manage individuals experiencing psychiatric crises.
The grieving father also said many families struggle to secure assistance for relatives living with mental illness, particularly those without financial means or influence, and called for greater equity in access to mental health care.
Police have reported that on July 23, Rashawn Shabazz became aggressive and barricaded himself inside his prison cell after officers attempted to escort him for a scheduled medical assessment. Authorities said non-lethal measures were used to remove him after efforts to peacefully resolve the situation were unsuccessful. He was transported to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where he was later pronounced dead.
However, Khalid Shabazz disputed the suggestion that his son died after arriving at the hospital. He said he was informed by medical personnel that Rashawn’s heart had stopped beating before reaching the medical facility.
He is now calling for a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and says both his family and the public deserve answers. He also urged authorities to ensure the investigation is thorough and transparent, expressing concern that incidents involving people in state custody often fade from public attention without adequate accountability.
Police have confirmed that a full investigation into the incident is underway and have extended condolences to the Shabazz family.
This article is based on statements made by Khalid Shabazz during an interview on Observer AM and reporting by the Antigua Observer.
Thatâs what the police is good for. Failing people. The system wasnât designed to help us only to fail us and leave us asking questions, saddest part is that we will never receive the answers.
Omg đČ đ± my condolences to the families.
This father is 100% correct. This boy should never be in in prison he should be getting help. The much needed help he needed. They killed that boy. Adminstering tear gas because the man didnt want to take some meds. It didnt have to end this way
They Killed That Youth For Nothing!!! It’s A Pitty Antiguans Don’t Stand Up For Their Rights Enough!!!
They will cover this up but the family should be in a advanced stage of sueing the state.
It’s quite obvious he was poison with tear gas since it was administered in an enclosed area note teargas is for open spaces and you knows what it’s like there much less in a prison cell.
God sees everything đ for justice to be served. God is able đ
Since 2023 they have been failing this young man. I remember when he was shot by police by Perry Bay and he lost a kidney. They knew it was bad since then, they knew prison wasnât the place for him. They couldâve placed him where he belongs since then. But you know, itâs Antigua and they donât care about anything. I just hope the family get some clearance.
If these court orders were truly ignored, then this is bigger than one familyâs tragedy, it is a failure of the very institutions meant to protect the most vulnerable. Mental illness should never become a prison sentence. No parent should have to bury a child while wondering whether their life could have been saved if the system had simply followed the law. Mr. Shabazz deserves answers, and the public deserves complete transparency. Accountability cannot end with condolences.
I wish we had known before there have been numerous rulings by the judge to remove him from 1735 to Clarevue. I just wish u had been advocating more before it got to this. I say all that to say this we as Antiguans always wait until its too late to address important things that should never be kept silent.
I feel your pain as a parent and I hope another family can learn from this unfortunate terror/horror.
Condolences to the immediate and wider families of the young man
As usual, nothing will happen, no charges laid and not one to answer any questions. But i do hope the ones who did this will indeed suffer mentally got thier wickedness!!!
heartbreaking to see, if those court orders were supposed to be enforced like they were supposed to be, he might still be alive today instead of suffering and end like that, Antigua sometimes is a joke i tell you :/
I believe their failed you and your son