Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer

Left: Eleven-year-old Christopher, who was sexually assaulted and killed while riding his bicycle to school in Blue Castles, Westmoreland, on Wednesday. - contributed Right: Bennett: Dem kill Chris and I don't know how me a go live it out. - photo by Dalton Laing

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland:

Overwhelmed with grief, Ketura Bennett yesterday recalled the good times she shared with her son, Christopher Suckra, whose body was found hours earlier in cane fields at Blue Castles, near Georges Plain, in Westmoreland.

The boy had been sexually molested.

"He always says that he is going to stay with me and take care of me," a tearful Bennett told The Gleaner. "Anywhere I am going, he always wanted to come just to ensure that I am alright."

Found nude

Christopher, a seventh-grade student at Petersfield High School in the parish, was found nude with stab and chop wounds.

"If me feel sick, him get alcohol and rub me back and say, 'Mama me a go tek care a yuh'. Dem kill Chris and I don't know how me a go live it out," Bennett continued.

There has been a recent spate of attacks against the country's children, prompting the Government to respond with a $23-million allocation to facilitate an emergency response service for children. However, no date has yet beenannounced for the implementation of the three-digit, toll-free system.

The Banbury Wesleyan Holiness Church, where Christopher was a member, is offering counselling and prayers to the bereaved family.

"We are here trying to bring some amount of calm to the family," said Pastor Kevin Waite. "But it will take a while before Sister Bennett and her family get over this tragic situation."

Did not return home

The police report that Christopher left home for school about 10 a.m. on Wednesday on his bicycle. When he did not return home at his usual hour, his mother became concerned.

She made checks and discovered that her son did not arrive at school.

This prompted Bennett to form a search party with neighbours.

The mother's worst fear was realised about 1:30 a.m. yesterday when Christopher's body was found in a cane field with stab and chop wounds to the chest and head.

Investigators theorised that Christopher was attacked as he rode his bicycle along the cane road, dragged into the cane field, sodomised and then killed.

Seeking man of interest

Up to press time, the police were seeking a man of interest in the probe.

On September 28, the decapitated body of 11-year-old Ananda Dean was found in bushes in the community of Cyprus Hall, Belvedere, St Andrew.

Ananda was last seen alive on September 17 when she left the Swallowfield Primary School for home.

The police have insisted that there has not been an increase in the abduction and sexual assault of children, saying that there has only been more extensive media coverage of the incidents.