UPDATE: Police treating missing woman case as ‘high priority’ – senior cop

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Twenty-four hours after family and friends of 24-year-old Donna-Lee Donaldson staged a protest in New Kingston for her safe return, police are insisting that the case is being treated as high priority.

In a special digital press conference held on Monday afternoon, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, said although the case is not being handled as a homicide at this time, investigations are being conducted with the hope of bringing closure to the family as soon as possible.

READ: WATCH: Protesters demand answers in Donna-Lee Donaldson's disappearance

"We are not confining our investigation to a missing persons investigation. We are looking at all the variables that we have identified. We have broadened our investigation," Bailey said.

He also indicated that while investigations are ongoing, a person of interest in Donaldson's disappearance is yet to be identified.

"I will not say at this time we have identified any person of interest. In our minds we are looking at some theories and we cannot say what those are but we have not yet narrowed it down to a person of interest," he said. "We are doing a lot of research and I am not gonna say now that we're looking at a homicide but anything is possible so we are ensuring that we capture all the evidence that are available so that whatever we find there will be no short fall in terms of the approach that we have taken in the investigation."

When asked whether or not the police officers (Donaldson's boyfriend and the woman constable presumed to be his baby mother) linked to Donaldson's disappearance have been questioned, Bailey confirmed that a statement was given by at least one of the officers.

"I indicated that he (the police officer boyfriend) was interviewed and a statement recorded. The woman constable was approached and she has refused to give a statement but we will deal with that at the appropriate time," said Bailey. "It's an investigation that is ongoing and there are methods that we can employ to deal with that issue. As a citizen, you have a right and a statement is voluntary."

Donaldson has been missing since Wednesday, July 13.

Police are asking anyone with any information that they believe might be useful to this investigation to contact the Half-Way Tree CIB at 876-926-8184, Crime Stop 311 or Police Emergency at 119.

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