Sibling tragedy - 8-y-o, infant brother die in Paradise fire; sisters injured

The community of Paradise in Norwood, St James, failed to live by its name yesterday as residents struggled to recover from shock after learning that only two of four siblings, all under nine years old and left home alone, made it out alive from a Friday night blaze.

The mother of the two young boys who lost their lives in the fire that completely destroyed their home on Ban Lane has been taken into custody by police on suspicion of child neglect.

The Montego Bay police said they were awaiting the completion of investigations to determine if criminal charges should be laid against 28-year-old Shantel Brown in connection with the deaths of her two sons – eight-year-old Javanchi Lauderdale Palmer and one-year-old Tyler McLeod – and the injury to her two daughters – six-year-old Cory-Ann Palmer and Tyler’s twin sister, Tailer McLeod.

“Mi belly a hurt mi, an mi can’t believe seh mi two nephew just gone suh,” Stacy-Ann Brown, the children’s aunt, told The Sunday Gleaner.

“Last night, mi call Shantel and give har some food fi give mi nephew dem. Tyler glad fi the food suh ‘til, a pure dance him a dance, and mi never did know seh a the last time mi did gwan si dem.

“Mi tired fi talk to mi sister seh if she don’t want the pickney dem, give dem up fi adoption. Mi inna mi room and a the heat wake mi up. When mi rush out a door and see the fire, mi nearly drop down, mi bus out a bawl when mi hear seh Shantel lef the pickney dem alone and gone a road, mek the house bun dung and dem dead.”

Drinking and Gallivanting

The police reported that shortly after 11 p.m., a team of officers was on patrol in the community when they saw Shantel and a group of persons “drinking and gallivanting” along the roadway, and instructed them to go home.

The police said the team drove away and, about half an hour later, when they drove back to the same location, Shantel and her group of friends had returned to the streets and were again drinking.

Some time after, an individual came to the scene, raising an alarm that Shantel’s house was on fire.

When the police drove to the scene, the one-bedroom board dwelling was engulfed in flames, and firefighters were attempting to put out the blaze.

Cory-Ann had managed to run from the blazing house, dragging her sister with her. The charred remains of Javanchi were found on a bed, while Tyler’s burnt body was discovered underneath the bed.

Cory-Ann was treated and released and her one-year-old sister admitted in serious condition.

Lucille Johnson, the four children’s grandmother, wept openly at the scene, describing her grandsons as her little heartbeats.

Yesterday, the grieving family was visited by National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, who is also the member of parliament for North West St James, the constituency in which the community lies.

Chang promised to support the family in any way he could during their time of grief.