A father who left his three-year-old son Marques Thomas unattended while he went crab hunting ended up in police custody after the child perished in a fire which destroyed the house at Barrett Town, St James, yesterday morning.

crab hunting

It is reported that about 10:48 p.m. on Sunday, Marques' father allegedly locked him in the house and went to catch crabs. About 1:45 a.m. neighbours saw fire coming from the house and summoned the fire department and the police.

Members of the Ironshore Fire Department were only able to carry out cooling-down operations as the house was completely gutted by fire. The charred remains of Marques were later found in the rubble. The father has since been taken into custody.