Jamaica’s Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) says it is ‘horrified and deeply saddened’ by the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl whose body was found along a dirt track in the northern parish of Trelawny earlier this week.
The child has been identified as Shani Coke, also known as ‘Kaja.’
The agency said the tragedy is another painful reminder that too many Jamaican children continue to be victims of horrific violence at the hands of adults who should be protecting them.
‘Every child has the right to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment where they are protected, valued and given the opportunity to realise their full potential,’ the CPFSA said.
Chief Executive Officer Laurette Adams-Thomas expressed condolences to Shani’s family and the wider Troy community, saying the agency is mourning alongside them.
‘Each time a child is abused or murdered, our society has failed,’ Adams-Thomas said.
According to police, Shani was walking home from a nearby shop shortly after midday on Tuesday when she was abducted. Her body was later discovered by a farmer searching for one of his cows after hearing unusual sounds coming from nearby bushes.
Following the discovery, an angry mob attacked a father and son after accusing the son of raping and killing the child. Police said the son was beaten, chopped and stoned to death, while his father was also assaulted and remains hospitalized.
Adams-Thomas condemned the mob killing, saying ‘jungle justice’ is not an appropriate response.
She said CPFSA first responders are in the community assessing whether other children connected to the family require immediate protection and evaluating the psychosocial needs of the victim’s relatives. The agency said it stands ready to provide support and continues to work closely with the Jamaica Constabulary Force as investigations continue.
The CPFSA is urging anyone with information that could assist the investigation to cooperate with the police.