VKS Commander was not informed.
PHILIPSBURG:--- A well-known former timeshare worker Mariacita Howard aka June-eve of St. Peters got a good beating from an off duty Voluntary Korps Officer (VKS) identified as Roderick Fleming on Friday. Several photographs of the woman showing the injuries she sustained and her phone number has been posted on Facebook.
In an interview with SMN News Howard said that she knows the suspect whom she said is an acquaintance. Howard said on Friday VKS Fleming was celebrating his birthday and she gave him $20.00 and asked Fleming to buy her a pack of cigarettes and a drink for himself and to return her change. Howard said about half an hour later, the VKS officer sent his son to her with the cigarettes and no change which she said was supposed to be $15.00. She said about two hours later, the man showed up at her home while she was cooking and he tried to push $7. In her bosom and she protested. She said she told Fleming he was supposed to return to her with $15 and besides that she gave him the monies in his hands and he should have given her back her change in her hand. Howard said because she protested the off-duty officer jumped on top of her and began beating her in her face and stomach. “I recently had a major surgery and this man who I consider to be a physio jumped on my stomach and kneeled on me while he began beating me in my face and stomach where I had the surgery. I tried my best to push him off of me but I was already severely injured.”Howard said she was taken to the St. Maarten Medical Center for treatment and she now has a bill of $2.035 to pay. When asked if she filed an official complaint with the police? Howard said she did not but she was trying to reach the commander of the VKS Antonio Rogers.
SMN News contacted Rogers on Sunday afternoon and he said he was not aware of the incident. He said that he will visit Howard because he eventually saw the photographs that were posted on Facebook. Rogers further stated that he has no intention to cover up this matter and he will ensure the suspect is dealt with according to law.
Questions now asked why SMMC did not call in police when victim was taken to the hopital by Ambulance -VKS starts Internal Investigation.
Several persons including those from law enforcement are now asking why did the doctors at the St. Maarten Medical Center(SMMC) did not alert police on Friday when Howard was taken to the institution for medical assistance. Clearly the 68 year old woman suffered several injuries from the beating she got, one of which is a huge cut above her eyes that has 21 stitches.
Ms. Howard also fired some blows at the VKS Officer who attacked and beat her in her home leaving her attacker with a cut above his eyes.
Commander of the Voluntary Korps Antonio Rogers is somewhat disappointed because he said Howard knows him personally, she knows where he lives and despite knowing him she did not contact him to inform him of the incident, instead she went to others in St. Peters looking for help. Rogers said that the VKS is busy investigating the incident and they will take necessary actions when the investigation is completed.
Howard also failed to file a complaint against her attacker. A resident of St.Peters said they know that the commander of the VKS knows Howard very well because they have seen him in the area taking things for her now that she is not working. SMN News will bring you more information when the VKS complete their investigation and chooses to speak to the media.
