HOURS OF HORROR - Family recounts nerve-wracking wait for abducted teacher’s return

A relative of one of the women who was abducted on Monday by thugs in a Toyota Probox is giving thanks after all the women were found alive.

Two of the females were released about 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, in the vicinity of the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), while the third was released in the Duhaney Park area of St Andrew.

Janice, a high school teacher, who is currently being treated at the hospital, was reportedly heading from a medical centre in Bull Bay to Harbour View Shopping Centre. Her aunt said that her niece is severely traumatised. She expressed gratitude to the security forces and one of Janice's friends for their swift actions.

"She was talking to her friend while she was in the taxi and her friend said she heard when Janice say 'Driver yuh hear mi say is here suh mi a come off' then she shouted and say 'Him a guh kill mi, call the police' and she then heard a man say 'Shut yuh bloodc$&*t mouth' and then that was it," she said.

The woman said Janice's friend immediately contacted her partner who contacted the family. The friend later made a report to the Linstead police before travelling to Kingston to assist with the search. Police said that the women were abducted at different locations across St Andrew. After first striking in Bull Bay, the men abducted the second woman at the University Hospital of the West Indies. The third woman was abducted in the vicinity of the back gate of the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. The aunt said she feared the worst as last year brought tragedy for the family.

"Last year, gunmen tried to rob my son and pushed him in a vehicle in Mona and they fired a shot and he died. That was it, my good good child that was contributing to society just lost his life like that. He was taking food for a cousin so when I heard the news about Janice, I said 'Lord, this could not be happening again'," she said.

The woman said after she received the news about the abduction, she instantly began calling members of the security forces. Another report was made to the Harbour View Police Station and Janice's phone was tracked to a location in Kellits, Clarendon. However, when lawmen rushed to the location, neither the phone nor Janice was found.

"I couldn't sleep on Monday as we were so worried. We were up listening for the phone to ring but we didn't get the call that we prayed for until yesterday morning (Tuesday). We were told that she and another female was blindfolded and dropped off near KPH," she said. "She said there was a nurse there who was also kidnapped who comforted her during the period and told her to try and be positive when she was crying."

Janice's aunt said she is imploring females to be extremely vigilant and be mindful of their surroundings whenever they are travelling alone.

"Always let somebody know where you are going and if possible take a photograph of the licence plate of the vehicle you are travelling in," she said.

Members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch as well as the Kingston East and St Andrew Central Police divisions are investigating