A woman who says she witnessed Washington Bramble at the hospital has challenged claims that Bramble evaded police custody, insisting that officers left the facility while she remained openly seated near the emergency department.

The woman, whose son was admitted for emergency surgery on the same evening, said she was present when officers visited the hospital and disputed suggestions that Bramble had attempted to hide from authorities.

“The officers were there but they never stayed,” she said, adding that although Bramble was reportedly under arrest, there was no continuous police presence monitoring her.

According to the woman, the police vehicle left the hospital well before 1 a.m., and she was still speaking with Bramble after 2 a.m.

“She was not hiding. She sat in the view of everyone right on a chair beside the security guard,” the woman said.

She claimed Bramble was receiving intravenous treatment and medication at the time and that she witnessed only one officer approach her.

The woman alleged that the officer questioned whether Bramble was genuinely ill, accusing her of pretending to be sick.

She also questioned why police had not arrested Bramble earlier if she had been wanted by authorities, raising concerns about whether a bench warrant had been issued.

Her account follows Bramble’s removal from a televised town hall meeting concerning preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda.

The woman condemned the manner in which officers handled the incident, describing their actions as unnecessarily aggressive and unprofessional.

“The way they handled and removed her from there was ruthless,” she said.

She argued that officers could have dealt with the situation more discreetly rather than removing Bramble during a live television broadcast watched by members of the public locally and internationally.

The woman also referred to a question Bramble had raised during the meeting, claiming it went unanswered after a minister instructed other officials not to respond because of an earlier text message allegedly sent by Bramble.

She questioned whether the conduct displayed by officers reflected the professionalism expected of security personnel preparing to protect international visitors during CHOGM.

“If the officers don’t have the dignity to protect and treat their own with proper respect and dignity and know how to handle situations differently, then how can they protect visitors?” she asked.

The woman’s allegations about Bramble’s hospital stay, the circumstances of her arrest and the conduct of officers have not been independently verified.

Her statement raises questions about the timeline of police involvement at the hospital and the circumstances surrounding Bramble’s subsequent removal from the public meeting.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Witness disputes police account of Washington Bramble’s alleged escape from hospital.