Leonardo Blair, Staff ReporterTHE SMALL district of Kilancholly in St. Mary could barely accommodate the mourners who thronged the area yesterday, for the funeral service of the three children brutally murdered in the community two weeks ago.
A 31-year-old cousin has been detained for the killings. It wasn't just Kilancholly which seemed to mourn as concerned citizens from across the island clamoured for a final look as the bodies of the children lay in state for more than two hours in two separate church services held in Stewart Town and Kilancholly in the parish.
The murder of the three children Dwayne Davidson, 15, Sue-Ann Gordon,13, both students of St. Mary High School, and Shadece Williams, 4, has torn at Jamaica's heart strings.
'IT IS SO HORRIBLE'
"I am not really related but hearing about the deaths. It was so horrible I had to come," said Amy Bailey from Portland who broke down in tears when she was unable to "even get a glimpse of the casket," due to the massive crowd at both church services.
"I am not a friend or family member but when I heard about the incident everything in my belly started to move. I had to come to this," said Claudia White, another mourner.
"Everybody has become a Samaritan because of this incident," said Bishop S. A. Dunn, who had come from the United Kingdom to pay his final respects. "This (the murders) has affected all our brethren in the U.K. The way people have reacted to this thing you may have thought that these people knew the children."
Custos of St. Mary, Bobby Pottinger, said it was a sad day for St. Mary and urged all Christians to take the charge in changing the crime wave sweeping the island. "I did not expect this to happen to St. Mary. It just tells us that there is work for us Christians as even in our homes lurks the devil."
Bishop Dunn challenged the crowd, stating, "Don't let those children die in vain."
Others in attendance were Dr. Morais Guy, M.P. for the area and representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Victim Support Unit.
