“Someone Dropped the Ball” admits Health Minister as review into what hindered intervention for Garrick Tucker continues

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, June 30, 2022 – Days after Sharon Prospere’s son passed away in a car crash and it was revealed she sought help for his deteriorating mental state to no avail, Jamell Robinson, Health Minister now says “someone dropped the ball.”

“It’s very unfortunate and heartbreaking, what happened, the appeal and the end result. Since that initial time I’ve asked for a report to be written on the lead up and everything involved and what might have happened, right or wrong, so we can learn from those instances.”

Sharon’s had realized her son was heading down a path that would hurt him. Her emotional appeal left many islanders heartbroken,

“What y’all gonna do now? Wait until you see a dead body? Please y’all who hear me. I’m crying out for help for my child am because he is not the same,” she said.

Robinson explained that the Turks and Caicos legislation detailed the process of dealing with mentally ill persons who pose a danger to themselves or others. A part of that protocol on the Ministry’s part was notifying law enforcement.

Sharon had said she had gone to both the police and the health services and health services told her the police had to “come to them.”

In regards to that Robinson said, “Somewhere in there— I think the ball was dropped unfortunately. It’s just unfortunate that the outcome was him passing by vehicular accident.”

While he did not detail the process that Sharon went through for the media he said that she possibly would have interacted with the department several times and encouraged professionals to act with swiftness.

“I think in our position we just have to always expedite and give the help as soon as possible because we don’t know.”

In this case, Garrick Tucker, 32 died in a motor vehicle accident on Saturday June 25.  Police informed of the traffic death in the early morning hours on the island of Grand Turk and clarified that the vehicle was not stolen from the Police.

The Health Minister promised that the matter was under review and officials would be speaking to the police as well to get “their side of the story.”

Robinson, in the live news conference shared that a press release would be forthcoming on the Ministry’s response to Garrick’s death.

Magnetic Media has learned that Sharon Prospere, a member of staff at the TCI Hospitals Cockburn Town facility is being supported with counselling by her employer.

Referencing the soon-to-come Grand Turk Mental Health centre he said, “That’s where the facility comes in. We’ll have more personnel on the ground who are available to offer those services.”

The Minister, somberly vowed that he would continue pushing for greater access and awareness regarding mental health.