$1 million bounty for child killers - Advocacy group believes tough penalties will be a deterrent

Child advocacy group Hear The Children's Cry (HTCC) is renewing its call for the Government to strengthen child protection measures amid continued cases of violence against young children.

The organisation asked again for the implementation of a $1 million bounty for information leading to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators, along with imposing harsher penalties for individuals found guilty of killing children. HTCC spokesperson Priscilla Duhaney said the group initially made the call last October, but renewed it after the recent killing of two children.

"We did mention this before, [but] I don't recall anyone reaching out. Well, if anyone did, we wouldn't have to be doing this again. So we are bringing it back to the attention of the Government and to all stakeholders. Essentially, this call is a call for action, and [it is] based on the recent upsurge in killing of our minors. Over the last few days, we had at least two .... well-known and reported matters of killing and wounding, serious crimes being committed against our children." Three year-old Jace 'Zaza' Pinnock died during a deadly home invasion in Denham Town, Kingston, and four-year old Saniyah O'Brien was attacked alongside her father on February 8, in the Land Settlement community near Royal Flat in Manchester.

"We must provide far more effective disincentives for child murder. A Government-funded, high-profile bounty on child killers would not only discourage hard-hearted potential murderers, it would also help to encourage community support for the police investigations," Duhaney said.

She noted that the proposal comes ahead of the tabling of the national budget and suggested it could be considered in the upcoming financial year. However, she acknowledged that funding would have to come from stakeholders.

"Of course, it would have to be coming from the Government because we would not have that resources. So it's up to what they have in place, what strategies and what their resources. Of course, they are the ones with the deeper pockets and the resources that are our own," she said.

Duhaney added that given the number of children killed annually, additional stakeholder support may also be necessary.

"They may have to seek out additional stakeholders because this could amount to quite a few numbers. At this point we can't give a number but we are open to conversation," she said.

The HTCC spokesperson added that while the immediate focus is on the proposed bounty for child killers, she said similar measures could eventually be considered for other serious offences committed against minors.