CPFSA condemns killing of 10-year-old Shani Coke in Trelawny

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) on Wednesday expressed horror and profound sadness at the killing of 10-year-old Shani Coke, whose body was discovered Tuesday in Troy, Trelawny.

According to the agency, the death of yet another child underscores how many Jamaican youngsters still suffer extreme violence from adults who ought to be safeguarding them. CPFSA restated that every child deserves to be raised in a secure, caring setting where they are shielded, respected, and allowed to reach their potential.

CPFSA chief executive officer Laurette Adams Thomas said the organisation shares the grief of the girl’s relatives and the surrounding community as they confront the loss.

“There are simply no words that can lessen the pain of this tragedy. This 10-year-old child should have been given the opportunity to fulfil her dreams; her parents should have been given the chance to see her graduate from primary school, from university, to see her walk down the aisle. Instead, she was made to become a statistic, another victim of unspeakable violence. We cannot continue to accept these horrific acts as a normal part of our society. Every time a child is abused or murdered, we fail in our collective duty to protect those who depend on us most,” Adams Thomas said.

She said the case should also spur countrywide action, calling on Jamaicans to refuse any acceptance of violence toward children and to take up their common duty to keep them safe.

“This must be a turning point for Jamaica. We must cultivate an environment where the protection of our children is an immediate priority transcending the rhetoric that simply designates them as the future. Every child is precious, every life has immeasurable value, and every adult has a responsibility to intervene, to report abuse, to speak up and to act. If we truly believe that our children are our greatest asset, then our actions must begin to reflect those words,” she said.

Adams Thomas also stressed that mob or jungle justice is not an acceptable response and does not have the CPFSA’s backing.

The agency said its first-response teams are already in the area looking into whether other children linked to the household need urgent protection. Officers are likewise reviewing the psychosocial needs of the bereaved family and are prepared to offer help through this ordeal, CPFSA reported.

CPFSA added that it remains in close contact with the Jamaica Constabulary Force as the probe continues, and asked anyone holding information that could aid the inquiry to work fully with the police.