Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

An eight-year-old girl who was raped by two men who forced their way into her home in Irwin Point, St James is out of surgery and has been admitted to hospital in stable condition.

The girl and four other members of her family were all raped at gun point Monday approximately 10:30 p.m. The family's ordeal lasted for more than two hours.

Reports from police sources indicate that the men held up one member of the family, and threatened to kill that person, unless she opened the doors letting them in.

The men then proceeded to rob the family of cellular phones, cash and jewellery.

FAMILY STATUS UNCLEAR

The area where the incident occurred is one of the newer housing developments in Irwindale, St James.

Up to press time, information on the condition of the rest of the family was sketchy. However, as news spread throughout the parish, even members of the police force found it difficult to speak about the issue.

"I understand that one of my colleagues cried today, when she heard what happened and the Victim Support Unit had to intervene," said a policewoman.

Another woman police officer, said she just could not bear to listen to what had happened to the family.

Last night Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller declared that such violence against the nation's women and girls was intolerable and called for the police to leave no stone unturned in the search for the perpetrators. She also pleaded for those with information to assist the police in their investigations.

Meanwhile, Opposition spokesperson on gender affairs Olivia 'Babsy' Grange also expressed shock at the incident.

"This underscores the need for the sex offender's registry to be up and running effectively. I call on the Minister of Justice to give the nation an urgent update on the state of the registry," Grange said.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com