The boyfriend of Dacia Forrester — the Westmoreland woman who was allegedly doused with gasoline and set on fire by a gas station pump attendant on February 19 — is pushing back hard against a rumour he says is costing his girlfriend her chance at life-saving treatment.
Arlon Haye, who lives with Forrester, told the Jamaica Observer Thursday evening that claims circulating on social media suggesting the incident stemmed from a dispute over a man are completely false. The rumour has triggered a wave of online hostility toward Forrester, with some social media users going as far as wishing death upon her — and according to Haye, it has directly slowed donations needed to fund her medical care abroad.
“A rumour is going around that it was a man they were fighting over. I need people to take that out of their heads,” Haye said. “I don’t know the pump attendant and she don’t know me. This is hindering her from getting support.”
Organizers from both the Burn Foundation of Jamaica and the Crisis Support Charity — the two entities leading the fundraising effort — have confirmed that donations have been sluggish and pointed to the rumour as a key reason. The target is US$55,000 to cover air ambulance costs to transport Forrester, affectionately known as “Tash,” to the United States for surgery and treatment.
Haye traced the roots of the conflict back to an encounter at the gas station roughly three weeks before the February 19 attack. He said Forrester had gone on a Sunday to purchase gasoline for a generator at their home when a misunderstanding over change sparked an argument with the pump attendant. According to Haye, Forrester had handed a nearby customer a $1,000 bill to cover what he was owed in change, but the pump attendant apparently did not see the exchange and accused Forrester of not paying.
“Tash said she was standing up and waiting on the gas and she realised the girl wasn’t serving it. She asked her to throw the gas in the jug and the pump attendant was telling her that she didn’t give her any money,” Haye recounted. The situation eventually resolved when the customer confirmed what had happened, but Haye says the tension between the two women was born that day.
He also claimed that Forrester was chased with scissors during that encounter and chose not to retaliate. The following morning, he said, she went to the police station and filed a report.
On the day of the attack, Haye said Forrester had returned to the gas station to buy fuel for a saw he was using to cut lumber. He was tending to his goats when word reached him that she was on fire.
Now, with every day counting, Haye is appealing to the public to look past the noise and focus on helping save her life.
“All who can help, please help her. She is in need of it. This story that is going around is not true and it will play out fully sooner or later,” he said.
Those wishing to donate can contact the Burn Foundation of Jamaica at 876-344-7028, visit crisissupportcharity.org/donations/help-dacia-forrester-to-get-burn-care-overseas, or contribute via GoFundMe at gofund.me/ccdabce42.
