10-year-old St Ann boy drowns in pond

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

The St Ann Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the drowning of 10-year-old Rojaun Brown in Water Valley in the parish on Wednesday.

Rojaun’s body was retrieved from a pond in the community Thursday morning, a day after the Retirement Primary and Infant School student went missing.

It is reported that after he returned home from school on Wednesday afternoon, he changed his clothes and left his yard.

When he did not return home later in the day, his mother got concerned and called his father who made a report to the Alexandria Police.

A search was launched and the police, assisted by relatives and residents, combed the area until the early hours of Thursday morning before calling it off.

After another round of searching later in the morning, Rojaun’s body was seen discovered in the bottom of the pond.

The body was retrieved by the police with help of the JDF Coast Guard and Noranda Bauxite Company, which supplied a crane.

Residents expressed anger about the presence of the pond in the community which they say was built by Noranda as a water source to sprinkle the area to prevent dust from mining activities.

Meanwhile, principal at Retirement Primary, Nadeen Fisher, hailed Rojaun as a jovial and fearless boy.

“He was very outspoken and as such he was known by all members of staff and students. He was never afraid to express himself to anyone no matter who they were,” Fisher told The Gleaner on Thursday night.

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