Jamaica: Father of 13-year-old captured after daughter’s decomposed body found in fridge

Jamaica: A 46-year-old identified as Lawrence ‘Marcus’ Sergeant, father of 13-year-old Shantina Sergeant is in police custody following the discovery of his 13-year-old daughter's partially burnt and decomposed body on Monday.

According to the St Catherine, Old Harbour police reports the 46-year-old father had disappeared following the discovery of the decomposed body of his teenaged daughter on the evening of October 6.

Lawrence, who had reported of Shantina’s disappearance along with her stepmother Julieth Unis, was reportedly living with the 13-year-old for about a year. But disappeared following the discovery of Shantina’s partially decomposed body that was discovered on the evening of October 6 inside a fridge, behind her home in Bailleston, northern Clarendon.

The 13-year-old, who was a student Christiana High School in Manchester, was reported missing by her father on October 3. However, on Friday residents of Bailleston noticed a foul smell and flies swarming around the home.

Triggering a police investigation of the foul smell and surely following the police’s  arrival on the premises, the body of Shantina was uncovered, partially burnt and already in a state of decomposition.

A discovery left the community and Shantina’s stepmother, Julieth Unis in horror and deep  devastation . As the teen had reportedly been telling her friends that she was scared to go home, and on Tuesday the day she was last seen, residents recall seeing Shantina in  distress while making her way back home from school.

Reportedly, following the 13-year-old’s disappearance,  neighbors recall seeing Lawrence carrying the same fridge that the body of the 13-year-old was found in.

After the police’s discovery of Shantina’s body, Lawrence reportedly went into hiding triggering an intensive manhunt, and come October 10, Lawrence also known as Shantina’s father was finally captured in the area late Friday, October 11.

Superintendent Carey Duncan, head of the Manchester Police Division, stated that the investigators are further exploring other leads including reports of sexual abuse on the 13-year-old teenager and Lawrence will now be aiding in the investigations.