The mother of a young man allegedly stabbed to death while working at a local bottle shop has called for her son to be remembered as a person, not just a “victim.”
Declan Laverty, 20, was finishing his shift at the Airport Tavern BWS Drive-through bottle shop in Jingili, Darwin, when he refused to serve 19-year-old Keith Kerinauia just before 9pm on Sunday, March 19.
The teenager allegedly stabbed Mr Laverty and then fled.
Mr Kerinauia stood before Darwin’s local court on March 21, charged with murder, aggravated robbery and breach of bail and remains in court.
Samara Laverty has spoken out about her son’s humanity, saying she hopes the tragedy will lead to real change.
Samara Laverty (pictured center) said she believes her son helped her through her college education and flew home to attend her graduation last December (pictured, with son Declan, left, and daughter Bridget, right)
“While I recognize that this incident has been a catalyst and caused a lot of anger and upset, and his legacy will lead to change, he is still a person; he’s still my son,” Ms Laverty told the Cairns Post.
“He’s a cousin, he’s a brother, and he’s a grandson.
“All of this comes before he’s a . . . victim,” she said.
“He was just doing his job, and he never comes home for that.”
Bentley Park’s mother said her son’s attachment to Cairns defined who he was as a person.
‘He was born in Cairns. For a long time it was just him, his sister Bridget and myself, we were a little trio,’ Mrs Laverty added.
Declan Laverty (pictured) was an avid fan of NBL team the Cairns Taipans and enjoyed eating nachos with his mother during the team’s basketball games
The 20-year-old was allegedly stabbed on March 19 while working at the Airport Tavern BWS drive-through bottle shop in Jingili, Darwin (pictured)
She described her son as a talented footballer from an early age and an avid fan of Cairns Taipans.
“He loved the Taipans,” Mrs. Laverty said.
“It was our thing — both kids would go get nachos and watch the game.
“One time he was selected for half-time.
“It was hilarious because the shirt they gave him stuck together, and in front of the whole audience he couldn’t put it on and he looked ridiculous.
“But he almost hit the basket.”
Ms Laverty graduated from college in December with a bachelor’s degree, but believes it was her son’s support that got her through.
Ms Laverty wants her son (pictured) to be remembered as ‘still a person’ but is ‘grateful his legacy will lead to change’
“I graduated from college in December and he came home for that,” said Bentley Park’s mother.
“But all he wanted to do was go to basketball and get some nachos.”
“I almost fell apart a few times,” she added.
“Declan was the one who kept me on track.”
“He would say, ‘You can’t give up, you have to keep going, because you’ve come too far now,'” she recalled.
Mrs. Laverty said all she wanted was for her son to come home for her graduation, and he did.
“I have texts from him saying, ‘I’m so proud of you.'”
Prior to Declan’s death, Ms Laverty said she noticed the 19-year-old was quickly becoming a mature young man.
Declan Laverty’s funeral will be held March 31 at 1:30pm in Gordonvale (pictured, Declan’s father Damian Crook)
More than 2,000 people marched to Parliament House in Darwin on Saturday to protest the Northern Territory government’s efforts to de-escalate rising criminal activity in the state (pictured, Mr Crook with Mr Laverty)
Declan and his sister Bridget fought but were there for each other, she said.
“They talked more like siblings after he went to Darwin than when he lived here,” she added.
“He’s probably only really come into his own in the past six months.
“When he moved into his own unit and had his first home inspection, he called me to apologize for not giving me more credit and understanding when I yelled at them to clean the house before we had home inspections,” she said .
“He called me and said, ‘I get it now’.”
More than 2,000 community members rallied outside the NT’s Parliament House on Saturday demanding reform of the justice system, as well as calling for a review of police powers and bail laws in the Northern Territory.
The doting mother said she is still happy that her son’s death has brought change and was overwhelmed by the support from the community and beyond.
“I feel absolutely amazed and overwhelmed by the amount of compassion that has been shown to Bridget and me,” she said.
“We’ve had hundreds of messages, but I think that’s partly because it’s so relatable.”
“It could have been anyone’s kid going to work.”
Declan Laverty’s funeral will be held at Heritage Brady in Gordonvale on March 31 at 1.30pm.