Dancehall Queen Carlene Smith says her daughter, Crystal Davis, cried about the murder of 20-year-old Khanice Jackson.

Davis, whose father is veteran deejay Beenie Man, encouraged her mother to speak out against domestic crime in a recent video post.

“I’m a little bit hurt, sad, saddened by the situation,” she started. “My daughter was insisting on me just speaking about it today… I’m pleading to this country, the crime is out of whack, totally. My daughter cried today, terrified of what she had to listen to, hear, and [this] especially reached close to her heart. This is her age group.”

She also mentioned university student Jasmine Deen, who has been missing for over a year.

“For the people who are doing this, please stop,” she said. “This country is a beautiful place, soon there’ll be nobody living here… Some serious actions need to be taken to criminals. We cannot have them ruining the country’s reputation… The government alone can’t do this. We need to be a part of this.”

She vocalised a belief that has been permeating online comments, that the national focus seems to be on managing COVID-19 instead of crime.

“We have a lot of murders taking place in Jamaica that is even more serious than the pandemic… I haven’t seen the church. Our security minister, I’m not seeing you. What has to happen for us to take this serious and take it to another level? I am a public figure and I’m reaching out. I’m really tired of coming on my Live to be doing sad news but it’s hurting us, it’s hurting me. I have a daughter.”

Smith adds to the list of national celebrities who have denounced the murder of Jackson and violence against women.Popcaan has hit the studio for a sequel to Jungle Justice, Spragga Benz has supported Ninja Man’s view of the role of the “badman” in preventing such injustices in communities, and Jada Kingdom has urged women to use tools to defend themselves.