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CHARGED

Councillor to face court for manslaughter in death of 5-y-o son in family car

BY PAUL HENRY, Observer staff reporter henryp@jamaicaobserver.com

Saturday, July 04, 2009

EASTON Edwards, Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Lucea division in Hanover, was yesterday charged with manslaughter in the death of his five-year-old son, Lennon, whose lifeless body was found in the family car on Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly after being charged yesterday by detectives in Lucea, Edwards was offered station bail by the police in the sum of $1 million, with one or two sureties.

Lennon died on Tuesday after he was reportedly left sleeping in the locked BMW motor car, during a graduation ceremony at the Lucea United Church, where Edwards - a professional photographer - was contracted to photograph.

Lennon was discovered motionless around 2:00 pm, only after his father went to move the car which was blocking another vehicle, according to the police.
The child was taken to the nearby Noel Holmes Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Edwards was taken into custody that same day.
Edwards, who is also a teacher, was one of two labour party candidates elected to the seven-member Hanover Parish Council, during the 2007 local government elections.