MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police in this south-central parish say more resources will be used to continue the investigation into the disappearance of Manchester High School student Jayden Smith.

Newly minted head of the Manchester police Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis gave the assurance on Monday in responding to a question posed by a journalist regarding an update on the case involving the schoolboy who went missing last September.

“It has come to my attention and it is of particular importance to me, because it involved a child, our future. We will ensure that we have a set of cold case investigators sit down and have a set of fresh eyes look at that matter with the intention of having it cleared as soon as possible,” Dennis said on Monday.

The commander’s comments came days after Jayden’s placard-bearing relatives and concerned citizens gathered in the Cecil Charlton Park in Mandeville calling for greater attention in the case.

Police said the then 12-year-old was last seen at a fast food restaurant after he left school on Friday, September 25, 2025.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force utilised drones, cadaver dogs and specialised personnel to search for the boy, but the search yielded no results.

— Kasey Williams