A teenage girl was abducted and held hostage in a St Ann home, where she was repeatedly sexually assaulted for multiple days. The victim was eventually rescued by residents in the Bamboo area, and her captor was arrested.
Police identified the suspect as thirty-three-year-old Kenroy Edwards, who is a steelworker. He allegedly abducted the teen on February 19, when she was walking in the Kima district, where he lived.
According to the investigators from the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), Edwards saw the teen around midnight and reportedly approached her with unwanted sexual advances.
Police alleged that he then forcefully took the teenager to his home. After arriving, he sexually assaulted her and kept her at his residence against her will. He reportedly continued to hold her captive and rape her for two days. According to reports, the ordeal came to an end on February 21, when residents discovered the teen at the home and intervened.
On that day, the teen was rescued by community members, who also managed to detain Edwards on the same day. The police were alerted to the situation, and when officers responded to the community, residents handed over Edwards to law enforcement officers.
Edwards was taken into custody, and on Monday, he was charged with multiple criminal offences, including abduction, rape, grievous sexual assault and unlawful detention. Authorities have not yet finalised his court date for his appearance at the St Ann Parish Court.
Residents were commended for their swift action that led to the teen’s safe recovery from her captor’s residence. The incident adds to concerns about child safety as youths in Jamaica continue to experience violence and crimes. Police have withheld the identity of the victim due to the sensitive nature of the case, and the matter continues to be investigated.
