FREE HILL, St Ann — It has been almost two years since the close-knit Free Hill community in Bamboo, St Ann, was rocked by the murder of three members of Maureen Wilson-Parris’s family.

She is still waiting for justice and the pain of her loss is just as raw as it was in July of 2022.

“From my daughter died nobody call me and say anything, even to say they are investigating or something. The 18th of July will be two years and not even a word; that can’t be right,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Wilson-Parris’s only child, 45-year-old Antria Rattary; her 13-year-old grandson, Mykah Bonitto; and her 50-year-old cousin, Lawrence Baddal were found inside their house with knife and machete wounds to their upper bodies. Baddal was reportedly found lying on a sofa in the living room with his throat slashed, a machete in his lap, and a knife in his right hand. Rattary and Mykah’s bodies were found in a bedroom in a pool of blood.

At the time, the police said there were no signs of a break-in and they had no idea what led to the gruesome murders. On Monday, senior superintendent of police in charge of St Ann, Dwight Powell, told the
Observer there have been no new developments in the case.

Wilson-Parris is worried that her slain relatives have been forgotten.

“The pain I’m feeling to see three of my family members gone is not easy. It has been bothering me and getting me depressed. Sometimes when I watch the news and see that they catch other murderers I keep thinking to myself, ‘So what about our case? It was just thrown under the bus? ’ ” she asked, her voice full of anguish.

“Everything just go silent from then until now. How would they feel if it happened to their family?” she questioned.

The distraught matriarch said even a call from the relevant authorities to say they are still attempting to solve the case would mean a lot.

“All they need to do is just say something; say we are investigating and let me have a little hope and comfort in my heart that they are working on it. I keep asking an officer I know from St Ann’s Bay and she said she don’t have nothing. I call Kingston and is the same thing,” said Wilson-Parris.

She said that she finds it particularly hard to cope on days they would have spent together.

“When I see even Christmas pass and my birthday and see that she is not around it pains my heart. I am a weeping mother; I don’t have second child, nobody to call. Oh my God,” she wailed.

“More time me break down, but God has strengthened me. Sometimes it’s the scripture or even a song that I sing to keep me going,” Wilson-Parris added.

She has found solace in her role as guardian for her grandson, the sole survivor of the attack. According to reports, he was the one who discovered the bodies.

“Right now I’m just being there for my grandson because he is having it hard. I have to be bringing him to counselling and so on,” said Wilson-Parris.