SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:

Two children are now motherless as gunmen shot and killed their mother and stepfather in an attack in the Grantland district area near Linstead, St. Catherine, on Wednesday night.

It is reported that, about 11:00 p.m., residents of Grants Avenue heard explosions but did not begin to make enquiries until around 7:30 a.m. yesterday when an 18-month-old child was spotted with blood all over him.

The child's three-year-old brother then told them that their mother had been killed and the residents, after searching the area, found the body of 27-year-old Howard Robinson who was living with the other deceased, known only as Kenisha, 28-year old, of a Portmore address. Kenisha, who was in an advanced state of pregnancy, was found inside the house.

As news of the gruesome discovery spread through the rural community, residents converged on the area and speculated about what may have happened.

"I heard the little three-year-old saying 'pow pow pow, a so dem kill de 'madda' but Howard run' and is really true because the man's body was found behind the back of the house," one person said.

Similar sentiments

Others echoed similar sentiments and the police said they were following strong leads into the killings and were expecting to make a breakthrough soon.

The killings followed closely on the heels of the murder of a man known only as 'Shabba' in the Marl Road area of Gordon Pen around 8:30 Wednesday night. At least 30 persons have been murdered in the division since the start of the year.

The St. Catherine North Homicide team is investigating.

- R.T.