BOSSIP has had to report some truly devastating stories over the years, and unfortunately, this one ranks pretty high on a list that no one wants to be on.
According to WTOC, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently investigating the brutal murder of 20-year-old Tee’Andrick Lawson earlier this month. Lawson’s brother became concerned for his well-being after he wasn’t picking up his phone and had to break into their mother’s home when no one answered the door. Shockingly, Lawson’s body was found badly beaten and “brutalized,” according to his mother, Tasha Lawson. The family believes that Tee’Andrick was targeted because of his sexual orientation, but the GBI has not confirmed whether or not they are investigating this case as a hate crime.
Lawson’s sister, Terreona Harrison, spoke to the notion of a hate crime and the men who she believed killed him.
“He died in his home. Where he felt he was comfortable. He thought he was safe, and he was not safe, and for it to be people that’s literally right across the road or down the block, I can’t,” said Harrison.
“He just wanted to be him. He couldn’t even be him. Everybody accepted him, but the men who couldn’t accept themselves,” she added to WOTC.
To lose a family member to hatred and bigotry is a different type of pain, and unfortunately for the Lawsons, their grief was only beginning.
According to PEOPLE, Tee’Andrick’s mom, 48-year-old Tasha Lawson, died just 11 days after his death from what the family describes as “a broken heart.”
“Their bond was deep and unbreakable — best friends who did everything together,” writes the family member who created a fundraiser on behalf of Lawson’s daughter, Terreona Harrison. “The pain of losing her son was too much for her heart to bear, and just days later, she passed away from sheer heartbreak. This double loss has left their family shattered.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family cover the costs of both funerals, and any contribution you can make will be greatly appreciated.
Our prayers go out to the Lawson family as they navigate this extraordinarily difficult time.
