More than two years after 10-year-old Sasha-Kay Brown and her relatives were burnt alive in their house on Barnes Avenue in St. Andrew, the gruesome murders are still unsolved.
Reports are that Sasha-Kaye was heard crying for help as flames scorched her body. The incident took place on October 5, 2005 on Barnes Avenue, Kingston 13, when gunmen firebombed the house with Gerald Brown, wife Dorcas, daughter Michelle and the child trapped inside. The four were burnt alive while the gunmen watched the blaze. Residents who attempted to save the child, as she screamed in pain, were sent scurrying back to their homes by the heartless gunmen who fired at them.
Man charged
Now, 27 months later, the case is still listed on the police *la*hks as unsolved although one man was charged. According to the police, one man was charged and brought before the court on January 6, 2008 but was acquitted because of lack of evidence. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Jubert Llewellyn of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) said any other persons who are suspected to have participated in the criminal act will also be put before the court.
"The case is not closed. Investigations are still being carried out. A family was killed and one of them is a child. The case is definitely not closed," Sergeant Llewellyn told The STAR. "And, if other persons are suspected to be involved in the act, those persons will also be taken before the court."
Last May, one of the men wanted for the murder was killed by the police. The man, identified as Marlon Mattie, was a member of the Stinger gang. It is reported that the police received information that there were several armed men attending a wake in Arnett Gardens for another wanted man. A joint military team went into the area just after 3 'o'clock in morning and was greeted by a barrage of gunfire. The fire was returned and one man, Marlon Mattie, was shot and injured. He was taken to KPH (Kingston Public Hospital) where he was pronounced dead.
Sasha-Kay's death, along with those of Shanika Anderson, Sheneca Shakes, Shauna-Kay Legister, Toni-Ann Thomas, Oksana Douglas, Jovaughn Williams, Nicholas Baker and Maurice Maxwell, were featured in a STAR campaign aimed at bringing their killers to justice. One man was arrested in Douglas' murder.