Ten-year-old murdered near Troy as mob kills suspect; CPFSA condemns tragedy

Ashton Junior Coke is devastated after the rape and murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Shenae Coke, near Troy, Trelawny. The child's partially nude body, throat slashed, was found Tuesday on a dirt track in bushes in Turn district. She was affectionately known as Kidra.

Shenae left home about 3 p.m. Tuesday to go to a nearby grocery shop and did not return. Her grandmother grew concerned and alerted residents, prompting a frantic community search before the body was found. Ashton Junior Coke is not related to Delroy Coke, the man later killed by a mob.

Hours after the discovery, an enraged crowd fatally beat Delroy Coke. His father, Maxwell Coke, was also assaulted and admitted to hospital. Police have not said anyone witnessed Delroy Coke attacking the child. Investigators say he had a history of arrests for sexual offences dating back more than a decade, and reporting indicated he had previously been convicted and imprisoned for sexual offences. Police confirmed a man has since been taken into custody over the mob killing.

On Wednesday, Ashton recalled last seeing his daughter on Saturday when she visited his home in Troy, saying that memory is one he will cherish forever.

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency said it is horrified and deeply saddened by the killing, calling it a painful reminder that too many Jamaican children fall victim to horrific violence by adults who should protect them. CEO Loreth Adams-Thomas said the agency mourns with the family and community. "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 fulfill her dreams," she said. "We cannot continue to accept these horrific acts as a normal part of our society." She urged Jamaicans to reject violence against children and act to protect them, adding that jungle justice is not supported by the CPFSA. The agency said officers are checking whether other children linked to the family need urgent safeguarding and are assessing psychosocial support for the victim's relatives.

In St. Catherine, police are seeking a gunman who shot and killed taxi operator Andre McKenzie, 36, of Watson Grove, Portmore, near the Portmore Mall. About 9:30 p.m., McKenzie was standing on Dawkins Drive among a group when a man with a handgun shot him in the head and fled. Officers found him dressed in black, lying in a pool of blood at a bus bay. No motive has been established. The Portmore Criminal Investigation Branch is probing the matter.

Separately, the People's National Party wants Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security and St. Andrew Western Rural MP Juliet Cuthbert Flynn to state whether she is or has been under Integrity Commission investigation. The call followed her exchange on X about commission personnel trying to visit her gated community without prior notice to her as the resident; she later deleted the posts. The PNP called the deletions deeply troubling and said the public deserves honesty from an official entrusted with national security.

The Integrity Commission recently reported that six MPs are under investigation for potential illicit enrichment and providing false information, while one senator faces a similar probe. For April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2026, 14 MPs were referred for such matters; six cases were closed after investigation or preliminary inquiry. In one instance no charges were imposed; in another the commission recommended charges. Eight councillors were also referred, with one case closed and two rulings to impose charges. Eight heads of public entities faced similar probes, four of which have since been closed.