Grieving mother stoned and spat on when she rushed to retrieve body of son stabbed to death
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA: After making a mercy dash to bring her son's body home, the distraught mother of a young bottle shop worker, who was fatally stabbed, claimed she had been spat on, abused, and hit with a stone. Just before 9 o'clock on Sunday night, 20-year-old Declan Laverty was about to complete his shift at Darwin's Airport Tavern BWS drive-through bottle shop when he was stabbed many times.
He sent texts to both of his parents telling them how much he loved them, informing them that he had been stabbed before dying in the arms of a horrified onlooker. Declan's parents, Samara Laverty and Damien Crook, talked about their tragic loss on Tuesday as his alleged assailant Keith Kerinauia, 19, appeared in court for the first time.
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In an effort to bring her son's body to Cairns in far-north Queensland, Laverty hurried to Darwin on Monday. Nevertheless, she has since endured other painful blows. Within hours of landing in Darwin, Laverty claimed she had been spat at in the store, assaulted with a stone, and subjected to verbal abuse.
'I cannot wait to get my poor son out of this hellhole'
Laverty told the NT News, "I cannot wait to get my poor son out of this hellhole." She recalled her son as a bright, caring, and gifted young man who was an avid AFL player and loved his family, animals, and friends.
'He will never fall in love. He will never marry'
In February, Declan turned 20. He was soon to visit his mother, sister, and pets in Cairns. "His amazing life that he was just starting out his journey on will never be same," Laverty said. She further expressed her grief and said, "He will never fall in love. He will never marry. He will never be a dad. His life, his future, our future have been completely stripped away."
At the time, Declan was residing in Darwin with his father Damien Crook and still has his leftover meal in the refrigerator. Before his son's terribly short life was brutally cut short, Crook said the two were closest friends and fought back the tears as he disclosed their intentions to buy a house together. He said, "Everyone is hurting. I mean his mum - everyone is hurting, not obviously just me," he told the 'Today' show as per reports.
'We had a brilliant relationship'
He further added, "We had a brilliant relationship a dad relationship but also a mate relationship, you know. We were best mates, you know. We were going to buy a little unit together and he loved his music and he said 'dad, I'm going to look after you, I'll buy you a house and look after you, as long as you cook for me every night."
The charges against Kerinauia include one crime of murder, one count of aggravated robbery, and violation of bond. After Tuesday's hearing in the Darwin Local Court, Kerinauia is slated to face court on April 13 following 'an allegation of an aggravated assault involving a bladed weapon', the NT News reported, as reported by DailyMail.
According to police, the 19-year-old was in a blue 2014 Toyota Camry when it arrived at the Jingili liquor store on Sunday evening just before closing time. Marty Aust, the crown prosecutor, requested that Kerinauia's other charges be added to the case, as per reports.