A teenage boy who was murdered in north-west London, more than a month ago, has at last, been laid to rest. Quamari Barnes aka Qdotez, a 15 year old schoolboy of Capital City Academy in Doyle Gardens was stabbed fatally with a knife on January 23rd 2017, at a bus stop near the school, where he was waiting, to take a bus home.
At about 3:30p.m and soon after the school day, Quamari was attacked with a knife several times by an age-mate (who cannot be named for legal reasons, but has since been charged) and running back to the school screaming, "he is going to stab me", before collapsing outside the school gates.
Horrified and screaming schoolmates watched the incident, gathering around him before paramedics called to the scene, arrived shortly. He was rushed to central London Hospital where he died from his injuries, upon arrival. At Sacred Heart Church on Quex Road, Kilburn, a large congregation comprising mostly residents of North London, filled the church beyond capacity, many standing outside its entrance and spilling into the streets, for the 10:45a.m. service.
Quamari's coffin was brought in by a horse drawn carriage and draped with the flags of Jamaica and Uganda, the two countries of heritage respectively of his father Paul Barnes and mother Lillian Serunkuma. Fr. Terry Murray who led the service and has been serving at Sacred Heart Church since September 2014, said he had "never seen the church so full".
Quamari Barnes School Closed for the Day So Students Can Attend Funeral: Head teacher Alex Thomas Led Mourners from Capital City Academy.
Quamari's coffin arrived for the service to the accompaniment of the song Three Little Birds by his favourite singer Bob Marley and this drawing huge applause from the mourners as he was ushered in.
Atop it were a wreath of his name Quamari in blue and white colours, his favourite items in symbolic representations and these being, three air tickets from a family trip to Jamaica-his father's heritage home, a star named after him and within a box, a painting of him in his favourite sunglasses, a set of dominoes and a Bob Marley poster.
Head teacher Alex Thomas who has turned up at all the family's public celebrations of Quamari's life including the Nine-Night which is a Jamaican funerary tradition, led in reading the staff's tributes to the brilliant student fondly remembered as a shining star.
Two students Shadiya Mohamed and Aisurra Abdulmajid led the congregation in singing Bob Marley's Redemption Song and later Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah at the school were the family organised refreshments, after the burial. Quamari brilliance at Mathematics, acting, singing talent and being the Student Parliament representative were fondly spoken off in tributes before and on the funeral day.
After service, mourners headed to Paddington Old Cemetery on Willesden Lane in Kilburn, North West London where Quamari was laid to rest.
Capital City Academy being closed for the day, students were able to turn up in huge number at the service, burial and later celebratory events by the family including a reception at Abbey Road from 7: 30p.m to 12:00a.m.
Since Quamari's death, his parents Paul Barnes and Lillian Serunkuma have been amazed by the overwhelming support from their local community and beyond. His mother Lillian spoke of being amazed by the tremendous support and expressed the family's appreciation.
