Hear The Children’s Cry wants harsher punishment for those who injure or kill children

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hear The Children’s Cry (HTCC) says it is deeply concerned over the wounding of “yet another precious Jamaican child”. The lobby group’s comment is in relation to the 10-year-old girl who was admitted to hospital in critical condition following Friday morning's shootout between police and gunmen in Sligoville, St Catherine. A policeman and two gunmen were also killed during the gun battle. Two other policemen were also shot and injured, one seriously. READ: UPDATE: Two men killed after gun battle with police in Sligoville HTCC in a statement, said while the details of the child’s injuries are not known, it is reported that she was wounded as a direct result of a violent confrontation between police and criminals. The organisation offered its “heartfelt sympathy” to the family of the little girl, and also to the family of the member of the security forces who was killed and the members who were wounded during the shootout. HTCC is calling for an “emphatic nationwide response” to the situation which it said leaves innocent children vulnerable to untenable levels of violence across the nation. “The loss of life of our most vulnerable cannot continue; this level of impact of violence on Jamaica’s children is absolutely untenable. We are calling for stronger disincentives for violence as a whole, as well as distinctly defined, harsher penalties where this results in the injury or death of a child,” HTCC said.