Physical Abuse – the Writings Were on the Wall

Both sides of the families agree that signs of domestic abuse were detected in the relationship between Zema Castillo and Kenrick Longworth was releases from prison last year for a charge of attempted murder.  The violence would lead to the unfortunate death of three-year old Mark Tuyul Junior.  Isani Cayetano spoke to the mothers of Castillo and Longsworth and files the following report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The often tense relationship between Kenrick Longsworth and Zema Castillo is best described as a powder keg that exploded into a most violent episode on Friday, resulting in the death of three-year-old Mark Tuyul Jr.  For both families, the writings appeared to have been on the wall.

Anne Carcamo

Anne Carcamo, Grandmother of Abused Children

“Everybody eena abuse, children and mother.  But when yoh talk to she, ih noh wahn yer nothing weh yoh seh, we wahn seh, ih wahn tell yo da fu she life and ih live it how ih want.  So dis da di way di living end up.”

Lavern Longsworth, mother of the twenty-six-year-old suspect, says that she also warned Castillo about the turbulent situation with her son.  That stern piece of  advice was met with disdain.

Lavern Longsworth

Lavern Longsworth, Mother of Suspect

“Dehn always fight, but long time I tell she, leff Kenrick lone, leff Kenrick lone.  She insist because I just neva, like something bout fu she vibes and me neva mi di pull because if she could bad wid fu she man fi deh wid my son, what else she noh wahn do?  She leff ih good home fi cohn eena wahn relationship weh noh have nothing.  My son noh have nothing, da me haftu feed he.  I noh even got wahn job.  We leff wihself many days fi feed she and ih three pickney dehn, noh fi talk.”

Isani Cayetano

“You were held in police custody yesterday, Sunday, while they were looking for Kenrick.”

Lavern Longsworth

“Yes, dehn come da my house Saturday morning and ker me.  I unda arrest fi harboring a prisoner.  So I tell dehn, ah seh I noh know weh paat ih deh, weh unu want a tell unu, I noh know.  I noh know weh paat ih deh.  I reach da station ten past ten yesterday morning and dehn let me go dis mawnin, Monday, afta nine.”

Mark Tuyul Jr.

The maternal grandparent of the three children recalls an incident where Mark Tuyul, the kids’ father, was viciously attacked by Longsworth and Castillo on the eldest child’s birthday.

Anne Carcamo

“At one time, some time eena last year, he [Mark Tuyul] gaan mi fi sih di kids dehn weh paat she mi di stay with di bwai and ih whole family members.  When I could recall, he come by my backdoor deh unda blood.  My granddaughter hail me because I mi deh pan my bed di lay down, my granddaughter hail me and tell me, ih seh Duke drop down da di backdoor unda blood.”

According to Tuyul, Duke, as he is otherwise known, the confrontation happened when Castillo refused to allow him a visit with the child.  Admittedly, he struck the mother of his children first.

Mark Tuyul Sr.

Mark Tuyul Sr., Father of Deceased

“I went to see my son because then it was his birthday, the fifth of September.  When I gwein round deh fi get my son fi ker ahn da ih next granny weh da my ma, fi give ahn wahn birthday gift, she noh wahn I bring my pickney, she noh wahn I ker my son.  So now I try get my son from ahn and she di hold ahn round ih neck like ih wahn kill ahn.  Ah tell ahn please let go mi pickney, everybody deh out deh di sih yo.  When I struck ahn two times, three times eena ih mouth then ih bwai fly afta me with wahn piece ah stick and lash up me, right front ah my three pickney dehn.”

Amid the constant physical abuse her grandkids were subjected to, Carcamo regrets not documenting the instances when they were badly beaten.

Anne Carcamo

“Unfortunately, ah neva tek no picture with it.  If ah mih know ih wahn end up to this ah woulda mi tek wahn picture fi have it fi show.  When I face she and ask she bout it, she seh she noh know bout dehn deh, she aware ah everything.  But I think, if you sih your child bruise up at anytime, you supposed to know well something wrong wid your child.  Somebody di beat ahn, yoh undastand me.  Soh, but she neva want we get een deh.”

As far as the maltreatment which ultimately led to the murder of the toddler, Lavern Longsworth, herself a victim and survivor of domestic abuse, condemns the actions of her son.

Lavern Longsworth

“I noh condone that; if ih wrong ih wrong.  I noh condone that and I noh raise up he like that, yoh know.  I neva beat dehn soh I noh like that.  If ih wrong ih have to face it.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.