Father of dead 13-y-o held by cops

Lawrence Sergeant, who police said they wished to speak with concerning the death of his daughter Shantina, is now in custody.

Police report that Sergeant was held in Old Harbour, St Catherine, last Friday. Shantina's partially decomposed body was found in a burnt-out refrigerator behind her home in Baillieston, northern Clarendon, on October 6. The 13-year-old was reported missing by her father on October 3. Reports indicate that police were called to the area after residents noticed a foul smell and flies near the premises. Shantina's body was found with burn marks and in an advanced state of decomposition. Head of the Manchester police, Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan, had appealed to Sergeant to turn himself in "so we can have a conversation".

"We want to confirm certain things and we believe he is in a very good position to assist us in moving our investigation forward. He is not being treated as a suspect, but as a person of interest definitely," he said.

Shantina attended Excelsior High School in St Andrew before moving to Christiana High School in Manchester when she came to live with her dad. Her former stepmother, Juliet Unis, told the news team that she suspected that Shantina was in danger - her fears increasing after speaking with the child. Unis visited the Spaldings Police Station last month to report the matter, but was told to return with the child. However, when she told Shantina to accompany her to the station, the child refused.

Baillieston residents expressed shock and dismay at the gruesome find, as the quiet rural community has never seen such an event.