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Baby Janeeka, Post Mortem Inconclusive, She Didn’t Die From Natural Causes
Thu, December 8, 2016

What caused Baby Janeeka’s death?  The one year old toddler was just days away from her second birthday when she died at her St. Matthews village home on Tuesday.  The police said she had bruises to various parts of her body. Â 
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Tonight, the news is that a post mortem which finished just an hour ago is inconclusive.  It only confirms that she did not die of natural causes.  But the post mortem does not say what did cause her death.  Police and the police pathologist will meet tomorrow to try and piece together the clues from the post mortem and the police investigation.  They will use physical and forensic evidence, plus information from the mother and father who have both been questioned – to try to form a clearer picture of what caused her death. Â 

So, tonight there are more questions than answers. Â Ã‚  I went looking for some at her home, and at the hospital today.  Here’s what our news team found out about the life and premature death of Janeeka Campbell:…

This soaked diaper and this safety gate are the last traces of little Janeeka’s life here.

She lived with her parents at this house in St. Matthews and according to a neighbour, they were happy there.

Ingrid Straughan - Neighbour
"Both parents usually do their part as in pull their part 50/50 right and every time if the lady needs to go out the man pull ih part and watch and vice-versa. Something when two of them go out they actually -- I no see nothing wrong."

Courtney Weatherburne
"They seemed like a normal family?"

Ingrid Straughan - Neighbour
"Like a happy couple actually."

But something went terribly wrong on Tuesday night when the police were called out to find Baby Janeeka unresponsive. Janeeka was with her father that day while her mother was out. Reports are that the father told Janeeka’s mother that he was bathing the baby when she just suddenly stopped breathing.

But that is just one report, Straughan says Janeeka might have fallen off the veranda.

Ingrid Straughan - Neighbour
"They usually are inside right and then like now and again when I da look stuff okay and then one time I da look the baby mi deh outside on the veranda and look like they in laws mi did tell them about it. So I said that is only thing that could have happened, dropped off the veranda or something."

But how do you explain the bruises on Janeeka’s body? Another neighbour we spoke to off camera says it was neglect and sustained abuse that finally killed the baby.

Voice of Resident
"All I can say for myself from my personal investigation and my experience otherwise with the family that the child was suffering to me simple neglect, like total responsibility on behalf of both parents. To me it was like a dire situation where the whole family probably know what was going but didn't have probably in them to say that mien something was wrong or it would finally reach this point noh."

I asked one of the uncles to the relative that what was his experience knowing the family and the situation they were going through. He said well he experience a time when he was visiting the house that the mother beat the child for just throwing a remote control in the air and she probably spanked her so hard that the baby spin like a top."

For the family, by all outward appearances, Janeeka had a loving mother but they can’t say with certainty what happened at the house.

Sheila Guisseppi - Grandaunt
"I know her mom loved her contrary to what people might say or think she really loved her baby. They are up there and I am down here I don't know what happens up there or takes place but down here I know for sure there is no abuse, there is only love."

And that love will live on for baby Janeeka – who will always be remembered for her strong, lively spirit.

Sheila Guisseppi - Grandaunt
"Oh you don't understand, that was my life, I no know what I'm going to do right now, right now I'm on the down low but I'll get up back because she was only loaned to us by God. She was one year and 11 months but she was 16 going on 17, she bossed up everybody, she forced you to like her and everybody loved her."

As we noted at the top, the post mortem can only say that she did not die from natural causes.  Beyond that, it is inconclusive. Â 

The National Committee for Families and Children issued a statement today saying, quote,  “every citizen has a moral obligation to act when we see warning signs of violence against children and report all suspected cases of child abuse to the relevant authorities.â€￾ It concludes,  “violence against children should never be tolerated….Let us all work together to ensure that as parents and guardians we strive towards non-violence and avoid these kinds of incidents from reoccurring….â€￾

We’ll have more news on what police know tomorrow.

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