For Asabi Charles, two full years have passed since her 15-year-old daughter Achazia James – known affectionately to her family as KayKay – lost her life, and still, the fundamental answers her family craves remain out of reach.
August 18 marked the second anniversary of the teen’s passing, a day Charles used to honor her daughter’s vibrant life, mourn the future that was stolen from her, and highlight the ongoing lack of accountability that continues to haunt her entire family. If Achazia had survived, she would now be 17 years old, on the cusp of either advancing to post-secondary education or stepping into the working world. With the recent release of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results across the region, Charles said her grief felt especially sharp, as she could not stop imagining what milestones her daughter might have hit this year.
In an open letter shared to mark the anniversary, Charles laid bare the unresolved pain her family carries every day. “Still… no justice. Still no one held accountable. Still questions that remain unanswered,” she wrote. The mother explained that over two years, grief has become a quiet, constant companion as she navigates ordinary life, caring for her other children and taking part in the joys of loved ones around her.
In a striking act of resilience, Charles revealed she has already forgiven the person responsible for her daughter’s death – but that forgiveness has done nothing to dim her demand for full accountability. “It simply means I refuse to allow whoever took your life to take the rest of mine too,” she explained. Her deep-rooted Christian faith, she added, has become a lifeline that has helped her process the loss and hold onto hope that the full truth of her daughter’s death will eventually come to light.
Charles remembered Achazia as a spirited teen with a love for sports, a deep devotion to her friends, a naturally caring personality, and big dreams for her own future. She is determined that her daughter will not be reduced to the circumstances of her death, but remembered for the bright young person she was in life.
As the second anniversary passed, Charles reaffirmed that the passage of time has not eroded her commitment to seeking answers. “Still standing. Still praying. Still saying your name. Still loving you. Still fighting for you,” she wrote. She closed her message with a tender reaffirmation of her endless love for her daughter, and her unshakable belief that justice will one day be served.