THE family of 14-year-old Jahmila Lawman is making an impassioned plea for her return after she went missing from a State facility in September.

According to 25-year-old Antonett Lawman, the older sister of Jahmila, it is the second time that the teen has gone missing in the space of a year. However, she believes her current disappearance is tied to the testimony she was expected to give in court against her abuser.

“She went missing last November and we find her this year sometime in the summer holiday part and she end up at a children’s home and leave from there again. I heard she and a next girl escaped,” Lawman said, mentioning that the teen escaped from the Homestead Place of Safety in Stony Hill. “When we found her in summer a lot of things came up that is before the court, so it’s sketchy how she gone missing again.”

The police report issued on September 23 said Jahmila disappeared from Homestead Place of Safety in Stony Hill, St Andrew, on September 22. But checks by the Jamaica Observer revealed that Jahmila was never placed at that facility, even though the institution usually handles critical cases. The highly placed Sunday Observer source also mentioned that Homestead has not had any absconding cases for over three years.

Jahmila was last seen wearing a pink blouse, pink skirt, and a pair of white slippers.

Further, Lawman said last year when Jahmila went missing and was found, she told the police during questioning that she wanted to have her own way.

“When the police was questioning her and asked why she leave she told the police she wants to have her own way so mi nuh know if is her own way she want to have again why she leave the home. I’m not sure if it’s the same reason,” Lawman said.

Lawman added that Jahmila’s “own way” exposed her to exploitation and abuse.

“When we were in the room and the police was questioning her, she told the police that the place she was staying the man had an issue with his babymother, who left the house and did not return. Jahmila told them that he began taking out his problems on her, like him a argue with her and a sex her off. Jahmila left and went elsewhere and told them the man came after her and demand that she come back to the house and when she refuse him tek up a scissors [and] stab her in her leg. She all tell the police that he would let his friends have sex with her too,” an upset Lawman recounted.

How Jahmila came to be mixed up with the person is still a mystery to Lawman, who said she doesn’t know him, except that he is the father of her half sister’s child, who has no relationship to Jahmila.

“Jahmila tell the police she used to hide and use my mother phone and text him. Why would she hide and text him, run weh go down him yard and is when things get bad she leave? I just don’t know,” Lawman said.

Lawman, however, pointed out that a report was made to Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) and the perpetrator locked up. She said he is who Jahmila should have testified against, but a court date is not yet set and Jahmila is nowhere to be found.

Consequently, Lawman is appealing to people with information about her whereabouts to come forward.

“She too young fi deh out deh as a 14-year-old. She can’t manage out there by herself. She need fi deh around her family. She nuh ready fi the world yet, she too young. If you see a girl name Jahmila Lawman, she is 14. Call the nearest police station and let them know. Whosoever is holding her wherever they live, I would love for them to be held accountable for having an underage child at their home. So, if anyone has any info please contact the nearest police station or Constant Spring Police Station at 876-924-1421. You can also contact me at 876-477-1478,” Lawman said.

She added that Jahmila is in need of counselling, which she hopes will help in preventing another occurrence if she is found.

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency said it would prepare a statement on the matter. However, up to press time the Sunday Observer did not receive any correspondence from the agency.