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Pregnant Mother Murdered by Boyfriend
posted (November 22, 2004)

And we move from those vertiginous matters of high finance to the visceral depths of the human experience. A pregnant mother of 6 was killed on the holiday weekend. Today Alfonso Noble put the pieces of this tragic crime together.

Alfonso Noble Reporting,
On Saturday at around 5:30 Irene Gibson was at her home here at the corner of Alexandria and Bagdad streets when a gunshot rang out. Next a bloodied Lloyd Brakeman, Irene's common law husband stumbled out of the house. One of Irene's friends and neighbors who wished not to be identified explains what she saw.

Victim's Friend,
"I came outside and I saw Mr. Jack in blood and when I ran over there I saw Ms. Irene at the door bleeding. I asked her son what happened and he said Mr. Jack just shot his mother. He said Mr. Jack was taking the bullet out of the gun because 4he said 6 bullets were in there and he took out 5 and so 1 was left in there."

Alfonso Noble,
So what was he doing? Cleaning the gun?

Victim's Friend,
"According to them they say he was cleaning it."

It was at some point thereafter that the gun went off and Gibson received a single gunshot to her chest killing the 36-year-old pregnant mother of 6 instantly. Now family members are simply distraught and greatly divided. Brakeman's sister Theofila Brakeman says it was an accident, pure and simple.

Theofila Brakeman, Accused's Sister
"My brother is saying it was an accident. I haven't talked to him like that yet and I can't say what happened but I am telling you I believe it was an accident. My brother would never do something like that to his wife who he lives with and she is pregnant for him. I could never believe that. They would have to prove me wrong. My brother ran out and was bawling for help. He even ran to the police. If he intentionally did it, I feel he would have killed himself or he would have run. I don't believe my brother do that. He no kill she cold like that how her family believes check. I believe it was an accident."

But while Theofila is convinced of this, Gibson's sister Agnes Humes who also did not wish to appear on camera says it was intentional. She says the couple has been having problems that Irene never told anyone about.

Victim's Friend,
"She never told me anything but we figured because we saw how she lived and we knew that wasn't right. And I saw him, he thinks I didn't see him with other people but I saw him but I didn't want to tell her anything to cause any confliction. I didn't want to say anything but she didn't tell me anything, she just hid everything. This is not an accident. This is not an accident. This is not an accident and all we want is justice, that's all."

But even with the disagreement as to the motive for the shooting there is something both families can agree with: that is, Brakeman going home to 6 children with a loaded 357 magnum, a prohibited firearm at that.

Alfonso Noble,
What was he doing with a 357 gun?

Theofila Brakeman, Accused's Sister
"Well I don't know about that part there and I feel that that part wrong and thing. Even if he knew he had it he shouldn't have even gone home with it."

Victim's Friend,
"I don't even know why he had a gun anyway. Why have a gun around kids? She is pregnant and so why would you point a gun around her? That is not right."

But that mistake is done with and now all the Brakeman family can do is offer an olive branch.

Theofila Brakeman, Accused's Sister
"They know nothing is going on with them and they want to hold things against us. We are willing to help anyway check so I just want the lady's sister to know that she will feel it more because it is her blood but we are feeling it too because I believe that my brother is innocent. I am feeling it for my sister-in-law too and her children too because they were like my little nieces and nephews check and we would want to support the family but her sister is saying my brother meant to kill her sister. Well that is what she believes so she is saying she doesn't want anything to do with us. So I don't know."

Victim's Friend,
[Sobbing] "Never. I would never think my sister would dead like this. I would think this would happen to me first cause I am older. This is a shock."

And that's how this story ends, a family divided, six children left motherless and a 28-year-old man in prison.

28-year-old Lloyd Brakeman appeared in Magistrate's Court from where he was remanded to the Hattieville Prison up until December 21.

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