Eleven-month-old Brodrick 'Pharell' Wright never will get to attempt blowing out the candle on his birthday cake.Nor will he ever become the centre of attraction at what should have been his first birthday party.

The toddler never lived long enough and will be buried on March 23, only six days before he should have turned one year old.

Last Thursday afternoon, while a police team chased a taxi operator, who allegedly committed a traffic offence, a bullet pierced through a single sheet of zinc, through his back and then through his little heart, killing him before anything could be done to save him.

Mother of the slain infant, Janice Wright told THE STAR that she had been planning on celebrating her 'one and only' child's birthday on March 29, but the tragic incident has forced her to change her plans to that of funeral arrangements.

"My best friend has a daughter who also celebrates her birthday on the 29th, so we were both planning to c****ine her daughter's and Pharell's party as one," she said. "Now, all that change."

Police reports were that about 3:30 p.m., members of the Island Special Constabulary were at the intersection of the Spanish Town by-pass and Port Henderson Road, where a motorist was observed committing a traffic breach and was signalled to stop. The driver, however, sped away with one of the lawmen in pursuit.

On reaching March Pen Road, the policeman reportedly opened fired at the vehicle.

A mere police report could not have reflected the feelings of the mother or father. Though they say they are coping with the loss of their child, hearing their voices as they speak about it, is enough to depict their grief.

"It really hard, trust me, it really hard," said Broderick Wright, father of the slain toddler.

According to Ms Knight, she was playing with little Pharell on her verandah when she heard someone screaming, "Police a come!"

A single shot

In explaining the event, she continued "So I picked him up off the ground, and was hurrying in to get inside ... As I was opening the door I heard a single shot, then I saw my baby started wiggling in my hands and when I checked him, I saw a deep hole in his back."

She afterwards rushed outside to get help, while shouting "murder".

After getting a taxi and driving just a few meters, they came upon a police team which urged them to transfer the baby to their vehicle and continued to rush towards the SpanishTown Hospital.

As faith would have it, the rush was all in vain. Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Audley Lewin who condemned the incident, later went on to note that the actions of the policemen alleged to be involved were in breach of the police use of force and firearms policy.