[dropcap]A[/dropcap] 16-year-old student of the Choiseul Secondary School recently landed in the hospital after ingesting the deadly weed killer, Gramoxone.
Donald Clery of Banse, Laborie, ingested the weed killer at about 6 p.m on Sunday, New Year’s Day, in his bedroom at his mother’s home. His grief-stricken family says he drank about half of a 12 oz. glass of the substance.
A handwritten note which was found in his bedroom read in part: “There is nothing to life when you lose someone . . . No one knows what pain you go through . . .”
The devastated family is now trying to figure out whether Clery is still grieving the loss of his mother who passed away three years ago, or a severed relationship with a beloved friend.
The teen was found frothing in his bedroom by his younger brother, Christian Clery, who alerted family members of the chilling discovery. “When I saw my brother I started crying,” he said.
Clery committed the act several hours after returning from Castries where he spent a few weeks with his friends, who his family in Laborie say they do not know.
According to his grandmother, Anna Clery with whom he lived, the first thing her grandson did when he returned from Castries was hug her; a bit later he went to the toilet and then to his bedroom. Moments later she detected the smell of Gramoxone and wondered who was spraying grass at that time of the day.
Anna Clery said that when she saw her grandson’s state after he drank the weed killer she was devastated and did not know what to do. “Donald did not tell us whether he had a problem . . . He would leave the house and go anywhere without telling me,” she grieved.
According to an uncle, Octave Clery, his nephew asked him for Gramoxone to clean a portion of land to plant vegetables, and the uncle told him jokingly that if he wanted Gramoxone to drink, he could give him some.
The uncle said Clery took the weed killer, which was bought to spray the grass in the yard for the season, without his knowledge.
He said he also recalled during their conversation Clery coming close and staring at him. He added that Clery showed him photos of friends from his cell phone.
After the incident the police and family members tried to obtain the phone by calling its number and thoroughly searching the house, but to no avail.
Jennifer Clery, one of Clery’s sisters, said the situation has left her in shock and grief. “When I saw him he was frothing . . . I asked him why he drank the Gramoxone but he did not answer,” she grieved.
She added that prior to the incident, her brother did nothing to suggest he had a problem. “Donald never showed signs of distress. Nobody knew he had a problem,” she lamented.
Donald Clery was discharged from the St Jude Hospital on Thursday.
Comments are closed.