Young had attacked Wade with a piece of burned 2×4 wood, and a knife.
?The door was closed, but the window was open. He came in through the window. He whapped me in my head. I cried out for my children,? the mother of five continued
?He and Bucko T began to fight. Young then pulled out a knife, and Bucko T ran away.?
Bucko T, who is now Wade?s common-law-husband, at that time was just a friend, said Wade in 2004.
Young chased Bucko T, and then returned, and the 300-odd pound man began beating Wade, with the piece of burned wood.
At the end of the almost deadly attack, Wade lay unconscious on the floor of her apartment, as her attacker sat outside the house on their stairs, where police found him on that horrifying night of 2004. He had left her there to die, but she was rescued after her 16-year-old son alerted her neighbor, and she was rushed to the Universal Health Services for treatment.
Wade, who almost died, was hospitalized for almost three months, and had undergone surgery in Merida. She had suffered a fractured skull and had many other body injuries she had received at the hands of her ex-lover.
Young, Sr., a taxi driver, was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate?s Court and charged with attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, dangerous harm and aggravated burglary.
In the Supreme Court, he was indicted with the charges of attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm.
In court yesterday, however, Young, whose case was not even set yet for trial, made a plea on his indictment. He told the court he wanted to save them the time, and he felt that it was time that Wade moved on with her life.
Young?s sudden change of plea to ?guilty? was a shocking surprise to Wade, who had told Amandala back in 2004 that, ?From about 9:00 a.m., he had come by and threatened to kill me in the presence of my son, Eric, 19??
Two hours after he had made this threat, Young returned and tried to carry out his death threat, which would have succeeded if Wade had been home alone, and had she not received help immediately.
Wade and Young had a 12-year relationship, which produced 2 children, ages 11 and 13. She also has three other children that are not his, ages 20, 19, and 17.
She is employed with the Belize City Council as a Grade I officer. Survival after her near-death, brutal ordeal has made Wade an advocate, speaking out on the fight against domestic violence, and in 2005, she was featured nationally for her courage.
Yesterday, Amandala spoke with Wade briefly in the Fort George area where she had been campaigning with Prime Minister Said Musa.
She told us that she feels free to move on with her life. She is a role model for other women who find themselves in the condition she once was in; they know that there is hope and a way out for them too.
Young, Sr., will be sentenced on Monday, January 23, and shortly before 5:00 p.m., he was taken to the Hattieville Prison.