Ten-month-old Sarayah Paulwell and her mother, 27-year-old Toshyna Patterson, have been unaccounted for over several days. Despite a reward of $500,000 being offered for any information regarding their whereabouts, there is a troubling lack of information surrounding the disappearance of this mother and daughter. MP Phillip Paulwell expressed his deep concern, describing the past week as "horrific". He also shared that this situation ranks among the most challenging and distressing he has ever had to address.

Person of interest in disappearance probe was on watch list

17 Sep 2023/livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com

A PERSON of interest in the investigation into the disappearance of a woman and the infant child she shares with opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Phillip Paulwell was on an immigration watch list, law enforcement sources have disclosed.

His identity was not disclosed as the top-level investigation is being conducted on a need-to-know basis, sources said.

The Sunday Gleaner understands that the man was turned back by immigration authorities at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston after he showed up to board a flight on Friday.

“The person was on an immigration watch list. He was on his way out and we stopped him from going,” a source revealed yesterday.

However, the man is not in police custody, according to multiple sources.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey declined to comment on the probe when contacted by The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.

“The investigation is ongoing and I am not going to comment any further,” said Bailey, who heads the police Criminal Investigations Branch.

It is believed that 10-month-old Sarayah Paulwell and her mother, 27-year-old Toshyna Patterson, were abducted from their home on Gilmour Drive in St Andrew on September 9.

They were last seen about 7 a.m. at the gate to their home, according to family members.

One week later, their whereabouts remain a mystery despite a $500,000 reward for information that could lead to their safe return.

Calls to Paulwell's mobile phone yesterday went unanswered. But in a Facebook post on Friday, the sixterm MP for Kingston East and Port Royal described the past week as “very horrific for me”.

He said despite efforts, nothing has brought the police or family members closer to locating his daughter and her mother.

“I have dealt with many things in my life, but the disappearance of my daughter and her mother is by far the most difficult thing I have ever had to navigate,” said the former Cabinet minister.

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