MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Lawrence Sergeant, the father of slain Christiana High School student Shantina Sergeant, has been charged in relation to a sex crime involving a child.

Sergeant was charged with grievous sexual assault on Monday.

Police said the charge stems from Sergeant being accused of molesting a six-year-old.

“He is facing the court for a sexual offence where he molested a child a few years ago…” a senior police source said on Wednesday.

Sergeant remains in police custody as a suspect in his daughter’s murder.

Detectives are still awaiting forensic evidence to determine who is to be charged with Shantina’s murder.

DNA swabbing was done on Shantina’s father and another family member as part of the police’s probe.

A post mortem had confirmed that Shantina died from blunt force trauma.

Her father was questioned in the presence of his attorney just over a week ago.

He was arrested in Old Harbour, St Catherine four days after the charred remains believed to be that of his 13-year-old daughter were found behind their home in Baillieston, Clarendon on October 6.

— Kasey Williams