Mother of six struggling financially after daughter imprisoned

Christina Williams is a 41-year-old mother of six children and when her second child, 22-year-old Princess Williams was sentenced to three years imprisonment on June 6, she said she nearly died.

Christina is battling an illness and she relied heavily on Princess to take care of her financially but now with Princess behind bars, she is struggling to make ends meet.

Princess of Providence, East Bank Demerara, is serving a three-year sentence for attempting to extort $10 million from her ex-boyfriend and attempting to frame him for rape. She was found guilty of the crime in May by Magistrate Rhondel Weever.

“It has been real tough because when Princess was sentenced to prison on the 6th of June, I nearly died,” Christina told the News Room.

She explained that she is trying to maintain her family by selling herbs and barks but due to her illness, it has been difficult. Christina lives at Madewini on the Soesdyke Linden Highway.

“She is my second child; she is the one that used to be assisting me in certain ways because I am a sickly person.

“The little that she got she would always try to give me something from it,” Christina related.

The woman told the News Room that she plans to appeal her daughter’s case, claiming that Princess was beaten while in the lockups.

“It is not supposed to be that way, I don’t feel it is right,” Christina said.

She contended that while what her daughter did was wrong, she should not have been beaten in the lockups.

“That is my child and I love her and I would go all out for her.

“I am a just woman, I am a Muslim woman and if she is wrong, I would accept that but if she is right, I will defend her to the end,” Christina said.

Princess made her first court appearance back in February 2021 for the offence which alleged that between January 4 and 7, 2021, in Georgetown, with intent to extort $10 million from Kenrick Thomas, she threatened to accuse him of attempting to rape her.

She initially pleaded guilty to the charge, but later changed her plea to not guilty and was placed on $100,000 bail pending her trial during which she was found guilty.

Reports indicate that the two were in a relationship for four months. It is alleged that after their relationship ended, Williams sent Thomas an audio message via social media and accused him of attempting to rape her.

She reportedly told him to pay her $10 million and if not, she will provide the police with the evidence. Thomas, however, made a report to the police instead and Williams was arrested.

Williams is also on remand for escaping from police custody. It is alleged that while she was awaiting sentencing for extortion, she escaped custody through a toilet at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

She was later found walking along Thomas and Lamaha Streets, with a cloth wrapped around her hands hiding the handcuffs.