PUSHED by public pressure on the disappearance of 24-year-old Donna-Lee Donaldson, the Jamaica Constabulary Force on Monday called a press conference but withheld what it said were sensitive details about the matter, instead insisting that investigations were ongoing.

Speaking at the press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey said he is satisfied that the protocol for missing persons is being observed to the letter.

“The investigation that is being conducted is about a person who went missing. It’s unfortunate and we are praying with the family that the person will be found but we have not only been doing a missing person investigation. We have expanded our investigation beyond that of a missing person. We are not taking a tunnel-vision approach,” Bailey told journalists.

Bailey also responded to public outcry suggesting the woman was murdered.

“We have not yet determined that a definite person is dead. So we can’t say that we are investigating a murder. We hope that we will find Miss Donaldson alive,” he added.

Donaldson was reported missing on July 13.

According to police reports, on July 11, about 10:00 pm, Donaldson was picked up at her house by her boyfriend Constable Noel Maitland in a black BMW motor car to spend the night with him at an apartment located at Chelsea Manor in Kingston.

However, on July 12, Donaldson’s mother, Sophia Lugg, reported to police that she had not seen or heard from her daughter.

Reports further indicated that Constable Maitland from Constant Spring Police Station, who is the father of a child for a district constable at the Half-Way-Tree Police Station, told Lug that Donaldson left his apartment on Tuesday, July 12, sometime after 11:00 am and has not been seen or heard from since.

Giving an update on the investigation, Bailey said the woman district constable refused to provide a statement.

“We will deal with that at an appropriate time. It is 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, but we are still doing our investigation,” he said.

Bailey said since the missing report, a case review was done at St Andrew Central Headquarters and Maitland’s apartment was processed by forensic scenes of crime investigators.

“The security post was checked and observation of CCTV footage opportunities identified. Hospitals were checked and other enquiries including speaking to prospective witnesses were done… the vehicles of Constable Maitland and the district constable were identified and processed by the scenes of crime experts,” Bailey added.

He also noted that a statement was recorded from a prospective witness and enquiries were made in Old Harbour based on information received.

On Sunday, friends and relatives of Donaldson, who is a social media influencer, took to the streets of New Kingston showing images of her and demanding answers from the police about her disappearance.

It is alleged that they protested near the apartment complex where Donaldson was last seen.

In the meantime, Bailey said the police are committed to ensuring that the family will get answers from the investigation.

“We want to ensure that the family also receive closure because that is very important. Whether the missing person is found alive — let’s hope and pray that that is the result — but if it is the way, we want to ensure that the family gets closure to this investigation and we are committed to ensure that is done,” he said.