‘Nothing can ease this pain’ - Heartbroken mom grapples with loss of daughter

Grief has become a constant companion for Euon Douglas-Graham -- one that seeps into every quiet moment and refuses to loosen its grip.

Since losing her daughter, D'Jonnay Graham, the 53-year-old mother, says nothing has been able to dull the anguish that now defines her days.

"I bury my daughter around the back so I can wash off her tomb, buy flowers and I go in the mornings and talk to her," Douglas-Graham told THE WEEKEND STAR.

D'Jonnay, 20, was shot and killed, allegedly by her policeman boyfriend, Constable Patrick Walters, last year at her home. The incident took place at Essex district, Richmond, St Mary. The policeman has since been charged with murder and using a firearm to commit an offence.

D'Jonnay had been preparing to begin studies at Shortwood Teachers' College -- a milestone that should have marked a new chapter. Instead, her life was cut short just before it could begin.

"My daughter was supposed to go Shortwood Teachers' College, but instead she was buried the day before she was to start. It very, very bitter," Douglas-Graham said.

She said even the most ordinary moments have become painful reminders of her loss. Simple routines now trigger vivid images she cannot escape.

"As mi open the washroom door, a her grave dat mi a see," the greiving mother said.

"What families need the most is justice, because my daughter is gone. There is nothing anybody can do to make me feel better. This pain will never go away," she added.

Douglas-Graham said she has followed other high-profile cases, including that of Donna-Lee Donaldson, and found some measure of relief in seeing justice served there.

Last week, Noel Maitland was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Donaldson. He must serve 32 years before being eligible for parole.

While the wheels of justice slowly turn in D'Jonnay's case, the grieving mother says each passing day deepens the ache of a loss no verdict can ever heal. She leans heavily on her faith, holding on to the belief that if justice does not come through the courts, it will come through a higher power.

"Every time I talk about it, it bring me back to June 25. It's emotional ... I can never ever stop cry about my daughter and how she died," Douglas-Graham said.