Single Mother Of Slain N.J. Girls Was Poised To Launch Her Own Business

NEWARK, NJ — Bathsheba Sumter was finally seeing rays of sunshine after a long series of cloudy days.

Sumter, a Newark resident and single mother, had gone through some tough times trying to make ends meet in a sluggish economy. But through hard work, the aspiring business owner managed to distinguish herself as one of the inaugural graduates of “Moms Who Hustle,” a local program that gives a boost to Newark entrepreneurs. She was poised to launch her own business and finally grab hold of the American Dream that seemed beyond her grasp for so many years.

And then tragedy struck.

On Friday, 25-year-old Antonio Williams was charged with killing three people, including his sister, 6-year-old Nadira Withers, at their home on Brooke Jane Drive in Clinton, Md.

The other victims were Sumter’s daughters, 9-year-old Ariana Decree and 6-year-old Ajayah Decree, who were visiting their cousin and in Williams’ custody at the time, according to police.

• See related article: 2 Young Newark Girls Killed In Triple Homicide In Maryland

On Monday, the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC) identified Sumter – who was poised to launch her own business before the tragedy - as the mother of Ariana and Ajayah Decree.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share that a recent graduate of Moms Who Hustle, an entrepreneurial training program that we offered to single moms in Newark, discovered her daughters aged 6 and 9, were brutally murdered while on vacation in Maryland,” the NCEDC stated.

“Bathsheba had fallen of tough times, yet maintained an energy and enthusiasm about launching her business,” the NCEDC wrote.

The NCEDC has started an online fundraiser to assist Sumter with funeral and transport costs and to relieve her of the burden of worrying about income while dealing with the tragedy.

• Make a donation or see the Fundly campaign here.

MOMS WHO HUSTLE

Sumter is one of the proud inaugural graduates of Moms Who Hustle, a 12-week program open to 21 to 35-year-old mothers who live in Newark and are trying to build their own business, the NCEDC stated.

As part of the program, participants received financial literacy, business development and personal empowerment classes at no cost. The program also provided participants with on-site childcare and access to financial planning tools.

Learn more about Moms Who Hustle or apply here.

The prospect of finally launching her own business is clearly a point of pride for Sumter. Speaking to Fios1News after graduating the Moms Who Hustle program, Sumter emphasized that she was looking forward to becoming her own boss.

“Because we do rock and we do rule,” she added with a smile.

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Photo: Fundly, used with permission