MAY PEN, Clarendon:
IN A tragic chain of events, built on superstition, a grandmother was forced to seek the help of the police after she was conned into handing over her 11-year-old granddaughter by a self-professed 'readerman'.
The events leading to last Friday's alleged kidnapping, started with a visit to May Pen, Clarendon, by Icilda Madden and her granddaughter, Nordia Madden, a student of Pratville All-Age School in Manchester.
It is reported that a man known as Little David approached the elder Madden in the vicinity of the May Pen market, and managed to convince her that obeah had been planted in her yard and that he could dig it up and render its effects on the Madden family harmless.
The woman and her granddaughter travelled with the reader to Pratville where he reportedly dug up an area in the yard and removed some buried substances. Mrs. Madden and her granddaughter were further convinced to journey back with the man to Clarendon where he proposed to give young Nordia a 'bath' as protection against evil spirits.
The journey in Little David's white Nissan sunny motor car, which has "Blessed" written on both the front and rear windscreens, took them to a house on the Rock Road near Osbourne Store. There it is further reported that Nordia received her promised bath and shortly after accompanied Little David to purchase food at Osbourne Store.
That was the last Mrs. Madden, who was left at the house to wait, saw of them.
She reported the matter to the Four Paths Police in Clarendon the next day.
Investigating officer Detective Corporal B. Nelson and other police personnel from the station commenced investigations immediately following the report.
The police say that following several tips, they visited a number of places said to be frequented by Little David, but up to Monday afternoon they had neither located Nordia nor her abductor.
Persons with information on Little David, or who know of his whereabouts, are asked to contact the police without delay.
According to the police, Little David frequents May Pen, Osbourne Store, Rock and Lionel Town, reading palms and "foretelling" the future.
