Page 3 - 6-10-16 Friday's Edition

Features
Family Said Bullying Caused Death Of Teenager
Councilman Upset Projects Target Minority Communities
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
It has often been said that one of the hardest things a parent must do is to bury a child. The devastation is mul- tiplied when the death is both senseless and avoidable.
On Saturday, the family of
Tovanna Le’Yonie Holton
will gather for her funeral. The teenager died on June 5th, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Her family believes that bully- ing forced the young girl to seek death as a solution to being bullied.
Her aunt, Ms. Angel Scott shared the story of this family’s tragedy with the Sen- tinel.
Tovanna, who is the daughter of Toby Holton, of Tampa, lived with her mother, Mrs. Levon Holton- Teamer and her stepfather, Vernan Teamer, in Wesley Chapel.
According to Ms. Scott, Tovanna’s mother, and her stepfather had gone out of town for the weekend. To- vanna was supposed to have been spending the weekend at a friend’s home.
But, when the couple re- turned home earlier than ex- pected, they noticed that one of their vehicles had been moved and there were several teenagers at the home, who ran away when they arrived.
When Mrs. Holton- Teamer asked her daughter about the car being moved, she reportedly told her mother that, “they have something on me,” but would not explain who they were or what they had on her.
Later that day, Mrs. Holton-Teamer called her daughter and Tovanna didn’t answer her. She felt that the teenager was upset because she was being punished. When Mrs. Holton-Teamer went to her daughter’s bedroom, she didn’t see her, but noticed the bathroom door was closed. When she attempted to open it, the door was hard to open. Once it was forced open, Mrs. Holton-Teamer saw the blood and began screaming.
TOVONNA LE’YONIE HOLTON April 9, 2001 to June 5, 2016
Tovanna had shot herself and died as a result of the gun- shot wound.
Ms. Scott said she went on Instagram, she read the R.I.P. posts those who knew Tovanna had placed. “When I asked what happened, I was in-boxed and learned that To- vanna had been filmed taking a shower without her knowl- edge. Everyone said you could tell she did not know she was being videoed.”
The video was allegedly sent to someone else who up- loaded it on Snap Chat.
Ms. Scott further stated that she also learned that the teenagers had attended a pool party and Tovanna’s boyfriend arrived with another girl.
Ms. Scott said her niece was a well-mannered teenager who had been an honor stu- dent until this school term. “She was gifted. She had been enrolled in gifted classes. She could do anything on a com- puter.”
Tovanna was a freshman at Wiregrass High School at the time of her death.
“We believe the kids were bullying her,” her aunt said.
She further said the par- ents had a permit for the weapon Tovanna used.
Ms. Scott said her sister is so distraught that she can’t even go to the home as a result of this tragedy. “She is a nurse,
but all she could do was scream when she saw the blood.”
Tovanna was the youngest of her mother’s three children. Her older siblings are adults. She was the only child in the home.
Ms. Scott said law en- forcement are investigating the circumstances around the death, but have not updated the family on anything.
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
A representative from the Florida Department of Trans- portation addressed the City Council Thursday on the Tampa Bay Express Project.
After explaining what the project was, and their need to ac- quire right-of-way properties to get the project done, Council- man Frank Reddick asked why do all of these projects tar- get minority communities.
“Every time an agency wants to redevelop areas for expansion of the downtown area, or for other projects, they automati- cally target African American and Hispanic communities?
“During the discussions about building a new baseball stadium or sports complex, they were looking at the Sulphur Springs and Tampa Park areas for the project. These projects impact a lot of people and busi- nesses, and history has shown that once those homes and busi- nesses are gone, they never re- turn.”
CRA Chair, Yvonne “Yolie” Capin, asked for clari- fication on how residents are no- tified about these projects.
“If a project was planned 20 years ago, what happens to the people who’ve purchased prop- erty in the area after that? Are they told there is a plan in place to redevelop the area, or do they find out when the plan is ready to commence?”
Councilwoman Capin
said it appears that homeowners and business owners wouldn’t set down roots in an area they know will be redeveloped soon.
“It doesn’t make sense to buy a house or open a business in an area you know will cause you to move in a few years.”
Councilman Reddick said he’s tired of the foolishness of announcing these projects, and they being projected to residents as beneficial to them and the community.
COUNCILMAN FRANK REDDICK
Don’t Forget To Place Your ‘Father’s Day’ Ad
Don’t forget your loved one on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19th. The deadline to place your Fa- ther’s day ad is next Tuesday, June 14th at 5 p.m.
You can email the picture, and pay over the phone with a credit card, or come in to the of- fice.
Don’t forget your Father’s special day!
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A