Sad birthday for Donna-Lee Donaldson’s mom

On Wednesday, Sophia Lugg celebrated her 50th birthday, but the joy that should have accompanied such a milestone was missing as she is still unable to find the body of her daughter, who has been presumed dead.

The 24-year-old social media personality, Donna-Lee Donaldson, who went missing on July 13, is alleged to have been murdered by her lover, Constable Noel Maitland.

She was last seen at Maitland's Chelsea Manor apartment in St Andrew on July 11. Following her disappearance, the police reportedly found bloodstain marks on curtains and on a pair of sneakers inside Maitland's house, which, when tested, were determined to be Donaldson's blood.

Following a court hearing on Thursday in which Maitland was denied bail, Lugg, while heartened by the development, said she is still being haunted that Donaldson's body has not been located.

"I have no doubt that the justice system is working and justice must be served and it is taking its turn. Justice is working in our favour," she said.

"I have no doubt justice will be served to Noel Maitland but what has me feeling this sad is that I still have no closure [as to] where my daughter is. That's my main concern right now," Lugg said as she tried to keep her tears at bay. She shared that she observed her birthday, but it was not a happy occasion.

"It would have been three months since Noel has taken away my daughter from me, I don't know, may God help us," Lugg said, while supporters who had gathered outside the courthouse encouraged her to be strong.

Maitland, who is charged with murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse, was denied bail by Justice Vinette Graham Allen on grounds that she was convinced that it's possible that he would fail to surrender to custody, interfere with witnesses, obstruct the investigation or re-offend if he was admitted to bail.

She further pointed out that there were no conditions that could be put in place to prevent those risks.

Earlier this month, during the bail application hearing, the prosecution had objected to bail, arguing that that Maitland may not surrender to custody if he is released and may also interfere with witnesses.

The prosecution detailed evidence which painted the defendant as a calculated killer who had taken several measures to cover the murder.

The court heard that Maitland had reportedly tried to pressure his neighbour into deleting the footage from several closed-circuit television cameras, claiming it had captured him with a spliff and it could jeopardise his upcoming promotion.

The prosecution also shared that Maitland was recorded speaking to a truck driver, who the prosecution alleged was contracted by him to transport a bloody sofa from his apartment to a car wash on Lyndhurst Road in St Andrew.

A woman who is alleged to have washed the sofa claimed there was "blood like rice grain." Maitland is to return to court on February 9, 2023.