Today, we pause to mourn the loss of a number of our nation's children; too many by anyone's measure. They are:
14 year old Santoya Campbell of Frome in Westmoreland, whose body was found after she went missing;
3 year old Crystal Coleman of St Mary who was reportedly murdered by her father
14 year old Treshauna Henry, also from St Mary, whose cause of death is still unknown
16 year old Tivoli High School student Jamieke Tyrese, who was shot and killed at his gate in Fletcher’s Land.
We also mourn the death of siblings, eleven (11) year old Dana Lawrence and six (6) year old Jason Parkes, of Browns Town St. Ann, who both drowned on January 30. We must also mention the body of a baby found in a garbage bin in Ocho Rios. We extend our deepest sympathies to the parents, families and the wider community for their loss. We want to let them know that we share their pain as we sincerely believe that our children are our future and are to be treasured as such.
Let us continue to pray for God's guidance and protection of our children. Let each and every one of us commit to remaining vigilant and alert for acts of violence and abuse towards children. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye, as it is our civic and moral responsibility to take care of all our children.