Providence woman was charting a new path, with her mother, before she was killed
PROVIDENCE – December dawned brightly for Daphney Clairsainvil, who bought a house in Olneyville with her mother and earned an associate's degree in just a few days' time.
At the Elmwood house where they still lived on Tuesday, an illuminated wreath hung from the front porch, its lights heralding not just Christmas but, the very next day, Clairsainvil's 28th birthday.
Then, early Wednesday morning, she and her mother, Raysia Dupera, were assaulted in a knife attack, according to Providence police.
Clairsainvil's 29-year-old brother fatally stabbed the young woman just after she left the Elmwood neighborhood, police said.
When the siblings' mother tried to intervene, the son stabbed her, too, critically injuring her, police said.
On Thursday morning, Wesny Clairsainvil stood before Judge Debra A. Saunders in District Court, Providence.
The criminal complaint charges Clairsainvil under a section of the state's domestic violence prevention law with counts of domestic first-degree murder, domestic felony assault and domestic disorderly conduct.
Accused of knife-attack, held without bail
Saunders ordered him held without bail and referred him to the courts' pretrial services unit for an evaluation of his competency, according to a court record.
Saunders also issued a no-contact order to protect Dupera from any contact with her son.
Earlier this month, Daphney Clairsainvil had completed a semester at the Community College of Rhode Island, attaining her associate's degree in science, said Amy Kempe, director of marketing and communications at the school.
Woman's death saddens CCRI campus
Daphney Clairsainvil had studied business administration.
"The CCRI community is saddened … " Kempe said.
"On behalf of the faculty, staff and students, we extend our deepest sympathy to Daphney’s family and friends," she added.
The house purchased by Clairsainvil and her mother for $400,000 has four bedrooms.
The house is a Colonial with tan siding, red shutters and white trim. And it's nestled on a hillside on Cambridge Street, which offers views of Providence's skyline.
At the outset of the holiday season, the house had factored into the plans of both a daughter and her mother.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence woman slain less than a day after her birthday
