The search for 14-year-old Kenalya “Kay Kay” Burton and her 10-month-old daughter, Kiera “Blessing” Burton, ended on Monday after police located the pair in Mandeville, Manchester. The young mother and her baby had been reported missing the day before, after disappearing from their home in the Pepper District community in St Elizabeth.
The Santa Cruz Police reported that Kenalya and her daughter were last seen at their home around 10:45 a.m. on Sunday. When efforts to reach them proved unsuccessful, a high alert was issued for their safety. News of the missing teen mother quickly spread on social media, sparking concern as Jamaica has been facing a number of missing person cases.
By Monday, the police confirmed that the mother and child had been found. However, the circumstances surrounding how and where they were discovered have not been released. According to a report, law enforcement officials explained that the case was first brought before the Manchester Family Court before being transferred to St Elizabeth, the parish where they reside.
The teen and her baby were later reunited with Kenalya’s grandmother, per reports. With the limited details, social media users have also been expressing concern about a minor giving birth to a child and questioning who was responsible for impregnating the 14-year-old girl.
Many are calling for answers and demanding accountability in what some speculate to be a rape case. Law enforcement has yet to release details about how the teen came to be a mother.
Both mother and daughter are now expected to appear before the St Elizabeth Family Court on Tuesday morning. While the reason for the court appearance has not been disclosed, the process will likely uncover the answers to the troubling speculations surrounding her case. It will also likely determine the next steps regarding the care and well-being of the mother and baby.