CLARENDON, Jamaica – Police have launched a probe into the mysterious death of a woman visiting the island from Canada.

The deceased has been identified as Jaeda Pauline Whitehead, a 28-year-old school board employee from Toronto, Ontario. She died at Shearer’s Heights in Portland Cottage, Clarendon on Saturday.

Reports reaching OBSERVER ONLINE are that Whitehead arrived on the island about two weeks ago to visit and spend time with her common-law husband, a fisherman from Shearer’s Heights.

Police said that sometime last Friday, the two reportedly had a dispute which got physical.

It is alleged that a fan was thrown at the Canadian, and her head slammed into a wall. Whitehead reportedly left the home and went to stay at her friends’ house in the same community.

While there, her friends advised her to visit the hospital, however, Whitehead expressed that she did not wish to go and refused to report the incident to the police.

Police said that while at the house on Saturday, Whitehead went to sleep sometime after 3:00pm. Her friends observed that her head was swollen and tried to convince her to visit the doctor, but she refused.

Further reports indicate that around 5:30 pm, the friends returned home and discovered Whitehead lying in the same position they left her. They realised she was not moving and reported the matter to the Lionel Town Police Station.

The police responded and saw Whitehead’s lifeless body lying face down on a bed. She was clad in a white T-shirt and blue short jeans pants. Swelling was observed on the face and neck and she had what appeared to be blood stains on her hand.

The body was transported to the Lionel Town Hospital, where it was confirmed dead. Whitehead’s common-law husband has since been taken into custody pending investigations.

– David Dunkley