The mother of a child who was photographed by the Jamaica Observer last week seated in a box outside the entrance of Mona High School in St Andrew and published in Monday’s edition of the newspaper, has come forward.

However, she says she is upset and embarrassed about the way the picture was carried.

The photo, which appeared on the front page of the newspaper, was captioned “Whose Child?” and stated that the media house was unable to determine why the child appeared to be by himself outside the entrance of the school last week.

His mother, Shelly-Ann Bushay, visited the Observer‘s Beechwood Avenue officies yesterday afternoon and identified the boy as her eight-year-old son, Jason Bushay.

“It was his sports day (at school) and because school was keeping just half-day and the next day, Ash Wednesday, was a holiday, I just mek him come with me, because nobody was there to stay with him,” Bushay explained.

She stated that she was helping her sister, who works at the school as a vendor, as she was selling bottled juice at the school gate.

Bushay, who lives in Portmore, St Catherine, said that her son was asking her to take him across the road to his aunt, but as she was engaged at the time, she was unable to do so.

“So I said to him, ‘Wait, I soon carry you across the road, because you alone can’t go across the road’, and him say, ‘Mommy, I want to sit down’, and me put him inna di box. And I don’t know who pass and take the picture and di way di picture tek, it mek him seem like him homeless,” Bushay said.

The mother of three maintained that she was near to her son and that no one came over and said anything to her. She added that she did not see when the photo was taken and neither did her son.

“My husband was very upset when he came home. He was asking what happened. My son’s aunt and uncle on my husband’s side think him homeless, a ask what kind of thing that and start cuss and me feel embarrassed. The only thing lef a tears fi come a me eye because it shock me,” Bushay said.

She said her son, as well as his siblings, are well-taken-care-of and have a loving and supportive family.

— Javene Skyers