Jamaica News

A 15 year old girl who allegedly stabbed her 6 year old brother to death on August 2, was charged with murder yesterday, and is set to appear before the Family Court on Friday, August 12.

According to reports, 6 year old Howard Johnson Jr was lured to the back of their father’s house on Nelson Street in Jones Town by his sister, who then stabbed him to death. Johnson’s five-year-old sister reportedly witnessed the incident, and is expected to feature prominently in the proceedings.

Media reports have indicated that attacker has been through a life of trauma, which include being allegedly raped twice, the first time at age 12. As a child she also reportedly witnessed a bloody knife fight between her parents, who later separate. Additionally, a little over a year ago her brother was murdered by gunmen.

Here’s an interesting listing – Jamaica’s year-to-year murder rate between 1970 and 2009. At left is the year, and to its immediate right is the number of murders recorded for that year.

1970 – 152
1971 – 145
1972 – 170
1973 – 227
1974 – 195
1975 – 266
1976 – 367
1977 – 409
1978 – 381
1979 – 351
1980 – 889
1981 – 490
1982 – 405
1983 – 424
1984 – 484
1985 – unavailable
1986 – 449
1987 – 442
1988 – 414
1989 – 439
1990 – 542
1991 – 561
1992 – 629
1993 – 653
1994 – 690
1995 – 780
1996 – unavailable
1997 – unavailable
1998 – 953
1999 – 849
2000 – 887
2001 – unavailable
2002 – 1045
2003 – 975
2004 – 1471
2005 – 1674
2006 – 1340
2007 – 1574
2008 – 1601
2009 – 1680