Dad held newborn once before being murdered

Joy turned to heartbreak for Felecia Thomas in a matter of days. Just weeks ago, she was celebrating the birth of a son--12 days ahead of schedule-with his father Kiero Pinnock.

Thomas called it a blessing in disguise. But 11 days after his son's birth, Pinnock died in hospital of gunshot wounds. He held the newborn in his hands only once, having insisted that he preferred to hold babies when they were in a less delicate state.

"A God make the baby born and him get to see him and hold him or else him would dead and don't know him youth," Thomas said.

The 31-year-old was shot along with two of his other sons when gunmen stormed their Nelson Street, Denham Town, home early Saturday morning. His three-year-old son, Jace 'Zaza' Pinnock, whose mother is Ladonia Cunningham, died at hospital shortly after the attack. Pinnock succumbed to his injuries on Monday while receiving treatment. His eight-year-old boy has since been treated and released.

Thomas says she enjoys a good relationship with Cunningham. Her world had been filled with joy when she shared the news of her pregnancy with Pinnock.

"When mi tell him seh mi pregnant, him was so excited and him seh when the baby born him want him to get all of his name. Thursday gone mi give the baby all of him name," she said.

Even in the hospital, Pinnock's thoughts were on his children. Thomas recalled visiting him on Sunday and how he immediately asked about the boys' condition.

"He asked me if Zaza get shot, and I told him he only got a graze along with the other son. I told him they were at his mother," she said.

Thomas, though, had lied to Pinnock. He did not know Zaza had not survived the attack.

Hours before his passing, Thomas signed consent forms for Pinnock's scheduled surgery, praying for a miracle.

"The doctor tell mi seh him nuh must come off the operation table alive, and mi tell him seh even if him come out as a vegetable, I will take care of him," she said.

She spent the hours in the waiting area praying fervently for a miracle, but when the doctor emerged, the news was devastating--there was nothing more that could be done.

"Mi go in go look on mi babyfather and mi just start bawl and a tell him say mi never know him would give up suh, because him a born fighter. Him tell mi say him a come back out and him ago build a house for him four sons but him give up," Thomas added between tears.

Leaning against a wall for support yesterday, Thomas recounted the bloody night when she saw a motionless Zaza on his bed. She had heard about the shooting at Pinnock's place and rushed to see if he was okay. She got there in time to see Cunningham assisting him to the hospital. He had been shot. Her thoughts immediately flashed to the welfare of Zaza.

"When mi go in the house mi think Zaza lay down a sleep, but afterwards mi see blood," she said.

"Mi lift him up and carry him outside and mi see say him get shot. Mi feel like mi life a leave mi body when mi a carry him go hospital. Mi try to revive him and a beg him to open his eyes. Mi traumatise because the baby dead inna mi hand," she said.