Dozens of teenagers and a 60-year-old Briton are included in a list of 116 persons reported missing by the police in April.

Since the start of the year, 533 missing-person reports have been received by the police. Of that number, 347 persons have returned home while 12 have been found dead. Police say they received 133 missing-person reports in January with 87 returning home, while 136 went missing in February with 100 returning home. A total of 148 persons went missing in March with 102 returning home, said Sergeant Dahlia Garrick of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN).

Fifty-eight persons have returned home so far this month.

According to Garrick, most of the persons reported missing are girls between the ages of 11 and 19.

“More than half of persons who go missing are teenage girls,” Garrick said.

The decomposing remains of 19-year-old Nickeisha Samuels, one of the teenagers who went missing this month, was found stuffed into a hollow tree trunk near her home in Clarks Hill, St Andrew on Saturday.

Police say it appeared Samuels had been raped and strangled. Her head was also bashed in.

On Monday, the CCN released the names and photographs of four teenage girls who have been missing between March 29 and April 22.

They are:

. Marie Burgher, 14, also called ‘Mummy’ of Red Hills Road in St Andrew – missing from her home since Monday, April 7;

. Teoney Smith, 12, otherwise called ‘Finey’ of Kencot Road, Kingston 10 – missing from home since Tuesday, April 22.

. Natasia Henry 17, otherwise called ‘Birdy’ of Dela Vega City, St Catherine – missing from home since March 29; and

. 19-year-old Abigail Smith of Watermount, St Catherine – missing since April 22.

Police say Burgher is of dark complexion, medium build and is about four feet 11 inches tall.

Police say that on the morning of Monday, April 7 Burgher left home for an undisclosed destination. She has not been seen or heard from since. At the time she went missing she was dressed in a white blouse, blue skirt and black shoes.

Twelve-year-old Smith is of dark complexion, slim build and about four feet 11 inches tall.

Police say on the evening of Tuesday, April 22, young Teoney left home without the permission of her mother. She has not been seen or heard from since. At the time she went missing, she was dressed in a white blouse and blue shorts.

Henry is of dark complexion, stout build and is five feet six inches tall.

She has not been seen or heard from since she left her home in late March dressed in a pink blouse, blue jeans pants and a pair of gold shoes.

Abigail Smith left home for school last Tuesday and has not been seen or heard from since. She is also of dark complexion and is about four feet nine inches tall. The teenager was dressed in a blue tunic, white blouse, blue socks and a pair of black shoes.

Sergeant Garrick called on parents of teenagers to do more to keep their children in check or face the full force of the law.

“Some parents just don’t do enough to protect their teenagers, where it can be proven that any of these girls have run away because of negligence, we are going to be taking action,” Garrick told the Observer.

The police have also launched a search for 60-year-old Eric Fagan, a British technician who arrived in the island on March 18, 2008, and who has been reported missing since March 23.

Police say Fagan is of dark complexion, stout build, about six feet tall and is heavily bearded.

Fagan was said to have been staying with relatives in New Garden district in St Andrew. He left for Lyssons in St Thomas to attend a church convention on March 23 but did not turn up as expected. He was scheduled to return to London about two weeks ago.

Also on the police missing persons list are:

. Fourteen-year-old Janelle Grant of Hanover Street in Spanish Town, St Catherine – missing since April 2 when she left home for Ocho Rios, St Ann;

. Fourteen-year-old Shaquille Allen of Queensbury, St Andrew – missing since April 22;

. Eighteen-year-old Alecia Sutherland of West Road, St Andrew – missing since February;

. Sixteen-year-old Shanique Brown of Kingland district, Kitson Town, St Catherine – missing from home since April 13;

. Randol Young, 47, otherwise called ‘Ranny’ of Linstead, St Catherine – missing since March 21;

. Peter Humber, 48, of Job Lane, St Catherine – missing since December 1, 2007;

. Noel Milton, 33, of Spanish Town, St Catherine – missing since March 28;

. Thirty-two-year old Stephen Chan of Dunrobin Avenue, Kingston 10 – missing since April 8;

. Twenty-nine-year old Shernett Hall of Springfield Road, Morant Bay in St Thomas – missing since April 11;

. Shevan Campbell, also called ‘Ziggy’, 22, of Ocho Rios in St Ann – last seen driving his 1994 Grey Toyota Corolla motor car, registered 0710 FD, along Main Street in Ocho Rios. He was wearing a white T-shirt and a white peak cap;

. Twenty-seven-year old Kevin Bainbridge of Bog Walk, St Catherine – missing since November 2007;

. Wendell Hawthorne, 40, driver of Mall Road, Kingston 11 – missing since April 6;

. Twenty-four-year old Ester Virgo of Lovar Lane in Seaforth, St Thomas – missing from her home since April 15; and

. Twenty-six-year old Dwayne Thomas, otherwise called ‘Not A Fear’, s of China Town in Central Village, St Catherine – missing since April 18.