Haitian boy's health fading

Gareth Davis Sr, Gleaner Writer

A TEENAGE Haitian boy who was picked up by the Portland police last Friday night is still being held at the Port Antonio station guardroom in the parish.

Sixteen-year-old Jean St Homme, who was given a clean bill of health by doctors last week, will be spending a fourth night at that facility.

Police sources told
The Gleaner
yesterday that the boy, who was smuggled into the island by a group of fishermen from St Catherine last Wednesday, is now developing poor health.

According to the police, the teen, who has not been charged, has developed stomach ailments and is vomiting at regular intervals.

The police also said that plans to have the teen relocated to a facility owned by the Port Antonio Salvation Army have been shelved, as that facility is not available at this time.

The teen, the police pointed out, who claims to have lost all 10 of his family members during the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last month, is insisting that he made the right choice in fleeing to Jamaica.

Last Wednesday, the boy landed with a group of local fishermen at Hellshire in St Catherine and found his way to a friend's house in the community of Fairy Hill in Portland.

The teen was among more than 800 Haitian refugees who were staying at the Winnifred Rest Home facility in 2006, but were later repatriated.