Arlene Bainton, the mother of 12 year Jenissa Jones and her boyfriend Ornel Caliz are detained at the Ladyville police station tonight for questioning in connection with the murder of her daughter.
Police believe she may have information that can help them unravel the disturbing murder mystery. Bainton has given two different versions of her daughter's disappearance, which suggests to police that she may know something more that could provide an opening in the case.
And while the investigation proceeds - healing for her family and for the community is another thing. With this girl murder coming after the year 2010 - which saw nine murder of minors under 16 - it is disturbing in the extreme.
Monica Bodden has been following the story and recounts her last sightings and the standard five student's last day at school:…
Monica Bodden Reporting
The chalkboard of her Std. 5 classroom- in bold letters - marked - Rest in Peace Janessa Jones.
We were told it was written by her former classmates. Her empty arm-chair Is a grim reminder that she is no longer with them. And even though things look- normal- in her classroom, that is quite far from the truth…
For her entire school - they are all living a nightmare - one that was least expected…
Emogene Ramclam - Vice Principal
"Well honestly it's something very hard to deal with, I don't think it's something that anybody will forget right now. The individual teachers are trying to talk to them, comfort them. We are planning a memorial mass tomorrow to celebrate her life. The teachers, everybody is directly affected it. Honesty we are all lost for words. It's something very hard to cope with because like I've been telling them, I have been teaching for over 10 years and this is my 8th year here at Our Lady of Way RC School and it's the first time we ever have to deal with something like this. So just this morning we were planning the songs that we are going sing tomorrow for the memorial and it just breaks everybody's heart."
Jannessa's best friend Esmaralda - recalled her last moments with her on Monday evening before she left school.
Emogene Ramclam - Vice Principal
"She had several friends, her best friend was Esmeralda. Esmeralda recall the Monday evening when the bell rang at 3:30 and they went their different directions and she wave goodbye at her and she was very happy - said goodbye. Another student mention that they were planning.... they had a project the following day at school and they were deciding who was going to bring what material and Janessa was supposed to bring the Bristol board, so they discuss all that before going home the Monday evening."
She was first reported missing on Monday night by her mother - who told police she had sent out Janessa around 4 o'clock that evening to run an errand for her in Belize City.
The story later changed - this time the mother said she had sent the little girl over to a friend's house for a sleep over.
Things became dim- when no one knew the whereabouts of the 12 year Janessa…
And so the search began for the 12 year old girl - which ended yesterday morning at around 11:30 - when her body was found floating at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This was what the scene looked like yesterday - as police jumped on board their vessel to go retrieve the body of the 12 year old.
The area at the river mouth where her body was adrift was inaccessible by road.
Her family stood around - still in complete disbelief…waiting for the police to come back with a body - still hoping it wasn't Janessa's.
At one point her grieving mother could not take any more…
Police transported Janessa's body by boat into Belize City - and then placed it behind a police pick-up truck and carted it to the KHMH.
It was set on a stretcher and taken inside the morgue where her autopsy was to be conducted.
There were a number of onlookers at the gates outside the morgue - wanting to know if Jack was indeed back.
After waiting for a while - the family was told her body was in an advanced state of decomposition and so they had to conduct the postmortem at a remote location on the Boom Hattieville Road…
The post mortem - which was conducted by Doctor Hugh Sanchez was concluded around 5:30 that evening. It revealed that 12 year old Janessa had 3 fractures to the skull and as a result she drowned.
She was found with cuts on her body - but they are believed to have been caused by crocodiles.
An immediate burial was held after -at the Lord's Bank cemetery where her classmates, teachers, family and friends all gathered to pay their last respect.
Emogene Ramclam - Vice Principal
"When we pass up the highway with the body the entire school was out here on the highway, they line the highway and waited for the body to pass just to give their last respect to her."
The question that remains in everyone's mind is - who would want to take the life of little 12 year old Janessa Jones?
24 hours after she was reported missing, two individuals said they spotted her on a Mcfadzean bus.
Both claimed she got off the bus somewhere between Double Head Cabbage and Willows Bank… at the mouth of a feeder road - around this curve known as Tamales Curve.
Police are investigating those reports.
Janessa who was known for her zest for life is described by her Vice Principal as an extraordinary little girl.
Emogene Ramclam - Vice Principal
"Janessa was the type of student that you could always depend on. She took part in the festival of the arts dance and she won gold, she was always in different sporting activities, she was just that type of person you know, you can call on her at anything to do anything and she would willingly jump and do what you ask her to do. A very promising student, honestly she was very bright, very promising student."
Promise stolen and a life cut short…
Again, her mother and stepfather remain detained at this hour and tomorrow a memorial service will be held for Janessa at Our Lady Of The Way Church in Ladyville.
The official result of the post mortem is that she died of head injuries with bronco aspiration…
