WB man’s death comes weeks after jail release
(CNS): A local man who is understood to have taken his own life after he was found unresponsive at a home in Peace Lane, West Bay, yesterday morning was Matthew Carlyle Ebanks (31), police have confirmed. Ebanks had been released from HMP Northward just over six weeks ago after serving 268 days in connection with the possession of an illegal gun. Ebanks had evaded the minimum seven-year term when a judge found exceptional circumstances in the case and freed him from jail. The court had heard at the time of sentencing that he had found his incarceration particularly difficult, though details were not aired in court.
Ebanks had been charged after police found a gun in a toilet cistern during a raid at a West Bay house last year, which was found to have been used in a shooting at a nightclub parking lot in February 2017. Ebanks was not accused of being involved in that incident but police found pictures on a phone recovered during the raid of him posing with the Colt .45 semi-automatic handgun.
Ebanks had originally denied the charges, claiming that he had been coerced into holding the gun. In the end, the court did not accept that, but because his possession of the weapon was fleeting, the court still found exceptional circumstances and ordered a two-year suspended sentence of 18 months, releasing him from jail.
Anyone who is having suicidal thoughts or who knows someone who seems very depressed should read this Ask Auntie column for numbers to call: Concerned about friend being suicidal
Category: Local News
Could not ask for a friend so true. We miss you.
Hurts my heart
Always be careful what you say about someone, it might be the last thing you ever say about them. We all make mistakes, my condolences goes out to the family. Rest in Peace brother.
I knew Matthew from he was a little boy and he was always a sweet, loving, and caring person. His mom and Dad are two of the nicest people that you could come across. His relationship with his sisters was absolutley something to admire. That family LOVES eachother unconditionally. Sincere Condolences to his entire family.
With young people in the Cayman Islands now finding suicide as what seems to be the only solution to whatever they might have been facing in my opinion there is a clear indication that we as a Country need to have this issue on the forefront. We need to stop and think of others, we need to stop being so damn judgementalof the young people. Not every person that has a tattoo is a “Thug/Gangster”. Think before we speak. If we are going to be inquisitive let it be for the purpose of wanting to help not for gossip. Social media has taken over our daily lives (majority) be considerate of the fact that it is public media and not everything needs to be posted. Families need to LOVE unconditional. Parents need to stop having a “favorite”child. Support and uplift your children. Fathers there is absolutely nothing wrong with showing parental affection to your grown son. Hug him, kiss him, remind him how much he means to you, and never allow him to wonder if he is loved. Mothers love your little girls the same way you loved them at age 40 age you loved them at age 4. Never let a day go by without reminding them how much you love them. Tell them often ! Siblings be bestfriends for life. Support each othera, have each others back at all times. LISTEN when your loved one is speaking to you. Your Gay son/daughter deserves the same love as your straight son/daughter.
Until we start to LOVE and CARE for one another, life for many will continue to have no worth.
after coming from such a loving family, how did this kid get mixed up with guns and why?
Is that going to change the fact that a young man was suffering from mental depression and took his own life because that was the way out he could see?
Yea actually. Understanding more can help us to see warning signs in others.
Very well said.
Those are very nice sentiments and my sincere condolences to his family and friends.
However, we also need to acknowledge that some things can not be resolved with a listening ear, a hug and a kiss. When you understand how depression and mental illness work, and we put THAT at the forefront, I’m afraid we are going to see more suicides in Cayman. This incident and other suicides should not be simplified to just not receiving enough affection or attention from your family.
Agreed. However I don’t take that the comment above suggested that listening and so on would solve the issue.
Well said.
If the court heard at his tme of sentencing that Mr. Ebanks found his incarceration particularly difficult though details were not aired in court. Why a social enquiry or psychiatric report were not done?. And Mr. Ebanks were in prison. Why the prison officers did not report the matter?. Mr. Ebanks must have talked or shown some sign of distress during the time of his incarceration. If the courts heard it at the time of his sentencing why the courts did not question the matter also?. Or was it because Mr. Ebanks were found with an illegal gun?. An his mental health and all of his other health got ignored at the time of his sentencing and during the time of his incarceration. Another young West Bay man gone again. Please who decides too comment on this post please do it with respect for the deceased and his family and friends. Because yesterday were the lost for the Ebanks family but today or another day could be for someone else. People pleae feel it for the Ebanks family because such a tragedy can hit any family. Please as a community share your love and kind wishes.
He was not found with a gun, he was in a picture with it. The gun was recovered in someone else’s possession.