News Briefs

Cops, residents to meet in Sterling Castle today

The police will be meeting with residents of Sterling Castle, St Andrew, at 4 p.m. today to address issues affecting the community following last week's murder of eight-year-old Shantae Skyers.

Skyers was found dead in bushes in the community last Tuesday, five days after she went missing while on her way home from school.

Residents have expressed anger and disappointment at the police’s handling of the case.

A number of other state and civic groups are expected to participate in the meeting.

 

 

Jamaican-American sentenced for abusing, killing NY woman

A New York judge has sentenced a 22-year-old Jamaican-American man to life imprisonment without parole after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting and murdering a woman in Queens three years ago.

Chanel Lewis, whose parents are immigrants from Jamaica, was sentenced for sexually assaulting and murdering Karina Vetrano near her home in Queens in 2016.

Prosecutors said Vetrano, 30, was attacked while jogging at a park near her home.

In the second trial, Lewis was found guilty of the crimes.

His first trial ended in a hung jury.

Before sentencing, Lewis told the court that he did not commit the crimes.

“I’m innocent. I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but I didn’t do this,” he said.

His mother, Veta Lewis, said that she believes her son is innocent.

The New York Legal Aid Society, which defended Chanel, said it will appeal the sentence.

 

 

2-y-o killed in St James hit and run, another hospitalised

Detectives assigned to the St James Police Division are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a two-year-old girl and the injury of another on the Howard Cooke Highway in Montego Bay in the parish on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as two-year-old Sasha-Gay Dennis of John’s Hall in St James.

The police report that about 6:50 p.m., Sasha-Gay and another child were in the process of crossing the roadway when they were hit by a Nissan Note motor car that did not stop.

Both girls sustained multiple injuries and were taken to hospital where Sasha-Gay was pronounced dead and the other girl was admitted for treatment.

 

 

Limit toddlers' time on tech devices – WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday urged Caribbean parents not to allow their toddlers to spend no more than 60 minutes passively watching a screen every day, while babies under 12 months should have none.

It said this is to ensure that they grow up fit and well, as the international organisation launched its campaign to tackle the global obesity crisis.

The UN health agency which has made recommendations specifically aimed at children under five-years of age for the first time, said that an estimated 40 million children around the globe are overweight.

The guidelines, which refer to passive activities such as watching cartoons, for example, as opposed to going online to talk to a grandparent, build on data gathered in countries in several countries which show that as many as 75 per cent of children do not have healthy lifestyles.

In addition to screen time recommendations for very young children the WHO says that they should be physically active several times a day and get lots of sleep.