Siblings laid to rest five months after being killed

Five months after Leroy Hamilton and his sister, Rosalee Campbell, died in a fire at their home in Stewarton Gully, Mocho, Clarendon, they were finally laid to rest last Saturday.

Hamilton's body was burnt beyond recognition, while his sister later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

At the funeral that was held at the Stewarton Assemblies of the First Born Church International, evangelist Ainsworth Kelly said that it was unfortunate that the funeral was delayed by months.

"The simple answer to that is that the system of Jamaica has failed us. For us to sit for so many months waiting on the result of a DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) for Leroy, it tells us the inadequacy of the Jamaican system," he said during his address to the congregation.

"Jamaica, we have been having failures left, right and centre from those we elect to lead us. Imagine a mother has to undergo five months of grief and pain waiting for closure of her two children. The system has failed, and failed miserably," he added, stating that he was not addressing any particular party, but everyone who has been entrusted with the affairs of the country.

Councillor for the Mocho division, Romaine Morris, also bemoaned the time it took for the DNA test to be done.

"It is unfortunate that it took so long for them to do the test. I hope that the Government is doing something to remedy this so that persons don't have to relive the trauma," he said.

Meanwhile, many who attended the service were moved as Paula Manning, a teacher at the Stewarton Basic School, read Hamilton's eulogy.

She said that years ago he told his mother that he would be the one to take her out of poverty and change her life.

According to the police, on October 31, the house was set ablaze by 41-year-old Craig Lawrence, who also attacked Hamilton's 53-year-old grandmother and his 24-year-old sister. It is said that Lawrence and the 24-year-old woman had a relationship. Lawrence's body was later found hanging from a tree at his house in the community.