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For Toni-Ann Alexander, her 11-year-old son O' Brien Gooden was the light of her world, his sweet smile bringing her immense joy.

But since his tragic passing, the 29-year-old has been struggling to cope, especially with his birthday coming up on January 13. He would have been 12. Alexander and her family had planned to throw a big birthday party for him and his cousin, whose birthday is on Tuesday. Alexander's birthday is also on Tuesday; however, it won't be a happy one.

Police reports are that O'Brien, who was fondly called 'Dantae', drowned in the Rio Cobre in Bog Walk, St Catherine. He had reportedly accompanied other children to the river about 4:20 p.m. on December 26, but encountered difficulties and drowned. His body was found the following day.

Speaking to THE WEEKEND STAR, Alexander, who lives in Guys Hill, St Catherine, said she did not know her son had gone to the river, and thought he was on his way home from his father's house in Bog Walk. She said that she learnt that he had died after a photo of his body was sent to her phone by a relative.

"All now mi nuh sleep, mi cah get nuh good sleep a night time," Alexander said.

"Mi not even like fi see people wid fi dem own [children] right now. It hard fi see it, because di whole a mi family deh yah and him nuh deh yah. Mi just feel bad, mi cah even guh nuh weh," the grieving mother said. Alexander said that O'Brien did not know how to swim and had never been to the Rio Cobre.

"A di first! Him nuh guh out, not even like go a shop. Him nuh like road," Alexander said. "Him nuh gi trouble, him quiet, him nuh guh road, him just stay in and him, him nuh gi trouble none at all. Him just guh school and church. When him come from school, is either him play him game or him play ball wid him cousins dem in a di yard."

As she continues to mourn, Alexander said that the only thing that has kept her going is her one-year-old son, O'Brien's little brother.

"Mi just afi try duh weh mi afi duh," Alexander said.