(Jamaica Gleaner) Six years ago when Lorraine Carpenter found out her sixth child was a girl, she was filled with joy and decided that she would stop having children.
“I always wanted a daughter, but every time I have baby, it was a boy, and when I finally get the girl, I took the tie-off,” she said referring to a tubal ligation. “I say, now that I have my daughter, me have me little angel.”
But that happiness turned into sorrow yesterday when her daughter, Teonia Henry, was found dead just two days after she was reported missing.
According to family members, Teonia’s body had five stab wounds to the chest and her throat had been slashed.
Hands bound
The police confirmed that the body was found about 6:30 a.m., with her hands bound in front of her, at the top of Jarrett Lane, off Mountain View Avenue, in Kingston. Henry was reported missing on Thursday.
Up to Friday, Teonia’s mother, along with other persons, was distributing posters in an effort to locate her.
It was a dark and gloomy day in the community yesterday. When The Gleaner visited the area, persons spoke highly of the youngster.
“We are in shock. That little girl no really stray. She always in her house or a play with her little friends in the community. She not going far, so we a wonder how this happen,” said Audrey Richards, a resident of the community. “She was a quiet little girl. Something is behind it. Them no just kill that little girl like that,” she added.
In the wake of the gruesome discovery, both Teonia’s mother and father, Raymond Henry, who were in shock, had to be rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital. They were treated and released.
The horrible news has left the father in a state of confusion.
“I can’t believe it really happened. A kill them really kill her?” he kept repeating.
“I only left to look about a work, and by the time I reach home them take her away and a this happen,” Carpenter said, recounting the period leading up to her daughter’s demise.
“When me almost reach home, me see me son and him tell me him give her something to eat and a she alone up by the house. I don’t even take five minutes to reach up by the house and when mi go there, mi no see her,” she explained.
“When wi a search the following morning, a little boy say him see a man put her in a car trunk and gone with her,” she added.