John McCarthy
By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
CHRISTIANSTED — A neighborhood dispute over illegal trash dumping on St. Croix escalated into a brutal physical assault, proving that local anti-littering confrontations can sometimes turn ugly.
Janiah Mateo, of St. Croix, surrendered to authorities on Tuesday night after she and her mother allegedly beat a woman who confronted them about dumping garbage in her neighborhood. Mateo is facing multiple charges, including felony third-degree assault.
Confrontation at Little Princess Hill
According to the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) probable cause fact sheet filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands on July 15, 2026, the violent encounter took place on Friday, June 26, 2026, in the neighborhood of Little Princess Hill.
The victim, Briana Raymond, walked into the Ancilmo Marshall Command Police Station shortly after 4:00 p.m. that afternoon to report the incident. Raymond told police she was driving home when she observed three female individuals dumping trash in her neighborhood.
When Raymond stopped her vehicle and informed the women that they could not dump their garbage there, the suspects responded with immediate hostility. According to court documents, Mateo stepped forward and remarked, “Oh, it’s you, Briana. I’ve wanted to beat you for a long time”.
As Raymond tried to retreat and get back inside her vehicle, she was grabbed by her hair and repeatedly punched in the face. Raymond identified her primary attackers as Mateo and Mateo’s mother, Sandra Madrigal, both of whom she knew personally. A third, unidentified female also took part in the altercation.
During the physical struggle, the assailants threw a liquid substance directly into Raymond’s face, which also splashed heavily across her vehicle’s dashboard and seats. Raymond attempted to record the attack with her cell phone but was physically prevented from capturing any footage.
Severe Facial Injuries
Responding Officer Jahreem Williams noted in his report that Raymond arrived at the police station covered in blood, with a moderately bleeding laceration across the bridge of her nose and visible swelling on her face.
Fire and Emergency Medical Services (F.E.M.S.) technicians C. Victor and R. McIntosh were dispatched to the station to assess Raymond’s injuries. Although she declined to travel by ambulance, Raymond later drove herself to the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital for emergency medical examination.
On June 29, Raymond provided investigators with her formal hospital medical records. The emergency room report, confirmed by Registered Nurse Sandra Belardo and treating physician Dr. Toikus Westbrook, revealed that Raymond had suffered an acute, comminuted, minimally displaced bilateral nasal bone fracture—commonly known as a severely broken nose.
Surrender and Charges
Following a police investigation, local authorities were initially unable to locate Mateo. However, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Mateo turned herself in at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station, where she was formally placed under arrest.
Mateo has been charged with:
- Assault in the Third Degree/Principals
- Simple Assault and Battery
- Disturbance of the Peace by Fighting
Her bail was set at $25,000. Unable to post the required amount, Mateo was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending her Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at the Kingshill Superior Court.
