Police last night confirmed that a woman who was accused of involvement in the murder of 29-year-old Kashief Jackson and her two babies in Tower Hill, St Andrew, last Wednesday, along with her brother, have been arrested and will be charged later this week.

At the same time, the police reported that the children — one-year-old Aviere Williams and seven-day-old Aranza Williams — died from smoke inhalation. Jackson died from stab wounds. The bodies were found in the house which Jackson shared with her partner, 42-year-old Artnel Williams.

Burn marks were seen on the house when the Jamaica Observer visited last Friday.

Residents in the small community on the outskirts of Mavis Bank said that the mother was found clutching the week-old girl to her bosom, while the boy, Aviere, who would have marked his second birthday next month, was found in a blue bath pan a few feet from his mother and sister.

Last night the police’s information arm, the Corporate Communications Unit, also confirmed that the arrested woman has a four-year-old son for the slain woman’s boyfriend.

Yesterday Jackson’s mother, Enid Thomas, said she was satisfied with the way the police have handled the case so far.

“I feel good that justice is being served,” she told the Observer. “I did not want to go the station, but I want to thank the Constant Spring police for what they have been doing. My daughter went there and she tell me that they have been very cooperative and understanding.”

Thomas, who is from Highgate in St Mary but has been in Kingston since the killings, said the incident has left her distraught.

“Oh God, I cannot find the words to express how mi feel,” she said. “I am trying to cherish the good memories; she used to comb my hair and come to church with me. I don’t like to talk about it because it makes me feel worse. Right now I’m feeling like when I was pregnant with her.”

On Friday, residents alleged that Jackson was in the middle of a love triangle.

Williams, who was in the community at the time the Observer visited, confirmed the allegations, explaining that he was in a relationship with the suspect before he met Jackson, and since then both women have been at odds, even though they had never seen each other face to face.

When asked about his whereabouts on the night of the murder, Williams said he was in St Elizabeth, having left the day before on the invitation of a cousin to do some electrical work.

The residents also said that they did not hear anything on the night of the murders, but expressed concern that the girlfriend of Williams’ older brother, who lives in another room at the house, did not hear anything either.

“Is a deep case,” one resident said, adding that “A we affi a force him (Williams) fi eat.”

Said another resident: “It must solve. It cyaan go so. Right now wi tense. The whole community tense.”

A female resident told the Observer that she was in Papine when she received news of the murders and broke down in tears. “It hurt mi because a the baby them. Mi feel it fi the mother enuh, but the baby them weh no know nothing — that a wickedness,” she moaned.