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Mum, 6 children put out

Mum, 6 children put out Randica Johnson and four of her six children after they were evicted yesterday.

By Clifton Henry | Tue, August 31, 2010 - 12:00 AM

A seven-member St Michael family are now looking for somewhere to call home after being evicted yesterday from the house they have occupied for most of their lives at Medford Land, Dayrells Road.

Randica Johnson, 30, a Vincentian by birth, told the DAILY NATION that she and her six Barbadian-born children were put out on the streets by her mother, Alice Cumberbatch, along with their possessions.

When a NATION team visited the area, four of the young children were playing ball and having fun seemingly unaware of the gravity of the situation their mother was facing.

Johnson said that for years she and her mother, who lived mainly in New York, were not on the best terms, but she was still allowed to live in the house with her children.

“This [dilemma] all came about because she asked me to pay a phone bill and I did not. Instead, I took what little money I had and bought clothes and school supplies for my children to go back to school next week.” 

She added: “This is my mother who brought me to this country when I was a little girl that did this to me and her grandchildren. Would you believe she even took back all the things she brought for the kids, even down to the shoes, toys, clothes. Right now I don’t have anywhere to sleep, me and my kids. We had to beg a friend to allow us to bathe and make sure the children had something to eat since I am not in position to cook for them.”

Johnson said she had contacted the Welfare Department but had not received any assistance.

“I don’t want the Child Care Board to take my kids and place them in any home. I need somewhere for me and them so I can be a mother to them. I do hairdressing but I just need some where for me and my kids to call home,” she said.

When contacted at her Tweedside Road, St Michael residence, Cumberbatch would only say: “I don’t want to hear anything from no NATION.”

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Posted by Mossy 1 year, 8 months ago

Girl six kids no job where is the Daddy ? That is why your Mother put you out. The phone bill was just the starter, you can make babies you have to take care of them. May be this time you might want to close Shop.

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Posted by Jormac 1 year, 8 months ago

Where are the father/fathers in all of this. why do some of these young people get so many children?

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Posted by Eileen 1 year, 8 months ago

It is always sad to see people without a roof over their heads, especially when children are involved. I honestly believe that the non-paying of the telephone bill is the straw that broke the camel’s back.  It would be interesting to hear the mothers’s side of the story.  The poor woman is probably sick to the back teeth about the constant addition in the house and the burden it is placing on her finacially.  It is most probably that she has had enough after much talking and she had to make a stand, harsh though it may be.  Young lady, I hope that you soon find somehere to live especially for the children’s sake.  Sometimes we have to do tough love to get the message across.

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Posted by sis 1 year, 8 months ago

30 yrs - 6 children ... fathers?

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Posted by Typical 1 year, 8 months ago

Somehow I find it hard to believe that the reason her mother put her out is because she decided to buy school supplies instead of paying a phone bill.  Come on now.  Be honest with yourself and stop trying to find pity by making someone else look bad.

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Posted by tony grant 1 year, 8 months ago

This woman is a poor excuse for a mother and a grandmother. Granted, they are two sides to a story, but if what the daughter is saying is true, then her mother is one heartless woman. To make matters worse, she does not even live in the house. To evict her over a phone bill is pathetic, disgusting, cold and heartless. This mother chose to make getting her children ready for school a priority over a damn phone bill which could be paid at a later date. To take back the items she gave to her grandchildren shows the callous, cold-hearted nature of this woman! I trust the authorities can find a place for her to stay.

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Posted by Lee 1 year, 8 months ago

This is breaking my heart. As a mother of an 18 month old I don’t know what I would do if this happened to me. I hope that this situation gets resolved as soon as possible. The only true victims are these innocent children who have been brought into this world to suffer like this. They do not deserve this.

I pray that God and other members in the community will help.

By the way… Where are the children’s father(s) in all of this? They should be stepping up to the plate and doing what’s right for their children. After all they were a vital part in the process of creating these gentle souls.

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Posted by Yogi 1 year, 8 months ago

Huh, 30 and six kids and no way to put them. I will take some licks for this, but I will say it.I feel not for this woman. I do feel for the innocents kids. Too many of these young women lay down and get pregnant for men who care nothing about kids. Where are the father or fathers of those kids? I’m tired of people sitting down on their asses and expecting other people to take care of their responsibilities.

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Posted by butterfly 1 year, 8 months ago

don’tknow the full story,but she did the most inportant thing with the money.Seems like there is a lack of Love,Respect and Communication.

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Posted by Andrew Gooding 1 year, 8 months ago

Although I sympathise with this woman. I always believe in two sides to a story first of all why six children if you cant even support yourself and you cannot live off your mum forever. Where are their fathers in all of this you need to get your act together and stop depending on others no one made you have six children. The sad end to this story is the innocent children will suffer.

Andrew
London

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Posted by Aileen Smith 1 year, 8 months ago

This is a sad situation however that being said it is not your mother’s responsibility to provide for you and your kids.  Your mother is fed up with you and rightfully so. Stop blaming your mother for the situation that you are in and take a long look at yourself.

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Posted by Ego 1 year, 8 months ago

I am in sympathy with this woman, but where is the father, or fathers, of these children.  There is a baby in arms.  this is sickening.  do men no longer support their house- hold?  I am sure that her Mom, must have been disgusted with the growing family, and no end in sight.  Six children in these hard times.  If her mother does not live in the same residence, who made the phone calls?

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Posted by 100% bajan 1 year, 8 months ago

The grandmother had every right to do what she did. Why doesn’t the daughter find the farther(s) of the children and have him/them support the children. She needs to spend her money on getting her tubes tied; it’s cheaper in the long run than having and raising a seventh child. She is talking about her mother like it’s her mother’s responsibility to raise her and the six kids, you are 30 years old, and by law your mother’s job and responsibility for you is completed.

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Posted by Bare Foot Boy 1 year, 8 months ago

I will resist the obvious questions and will simply say that perhaps the Nation should have followed Ms. Cumberbatch’s direction and leave this story alone.

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Posted by Alicia Morgan 1 year, 8 months ago

What is really going on at home? Every time I visit Barbados, I am ashamed at how the values, and customs of my culture have been reduced by American influence. Because her mother lives in NY, she has taken on the American attitude of the value of a dollar…may God have mercy on her soul, and she should be ashamed of herself..even if she wanted her daughter to leave, why make your grandkids suffer to…

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Posted by Beverly in CA 1 year, 8 months ago

Alice Cumberbatch… if you are reading this, you are heartless for doing that to your daughter and grand-kids!

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Posted by loveyna 1 year, 8 months ago

Why don’t you go back to St Vincent ??? maybe you might find shelter and a home for the kids… seeing how overcrowded Barbados is at present… where is the children’s papa?

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Posted by Jerry Hall 1 year, 8 months ago

It’s always sad when innocent children are caught up in these distressing situations.
There must be a lot of unanswered questions that led to this impasse.
I would proffer a couple.
Where is the children’s father and why is he not supporting his offspring?
Why did M’s Johnson choose not to pay bills for which she was solely responsible?
what drove the grandmother to adopt such a desperate action?
When is the Child Board going to take firm action to protect children who are the innocent parties?

Jerry
SM1 4HU

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Posted by Ashley 1 year, 8 months ago

Why!Why!Why! this is truly heart breaking how and why can a mother do such a thing, I don’t know the story between mother and daughter since a story has two sides, but think about the little children, who never asked for this misery in their lives, it seems you have two houses why evict the child you give birth to. Most mothers I know no matter how bad things are between them and a child/children never give up on them let alone evict them with six children and nowhere to go.

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Posted by carib girl 1 year, 8 months ago

This lady’s story just doesn’t add up.
I am sorry that the Nation was unable to have the mother’s side of this story.
I don’t feel that any mother would just wake up one morning and decide that she wants her daughter out. Also, I dont believe that a mother would put her daughter and grandchildren out because her daughter refused to pay a bill.

It is my belief that this young lady wants to make herself look good, so as to have public sympathy, so she fabricated most of this story.

By the way, what happened to the father(s) of these kids? Why do you think that your mom or society owes you anything?

You said you are a hairdresser, so you need to find yourself permanent employment. Hand you done that from the inception, you would not have been asking for help now.

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