Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

The loss of one child is sometimes way too much for a mother to bear, so imagine not having the slightest idea of the whereabouts of not one, not two, but six of your children.

Janet Dacres of Braeton, St Catherine is, understandably, disquieted and confused about finding her six children; 17-year-old Zabrina Dacres, 15-year-old Keron Dacres, Lajon Dacres, 13; Dayjon Dacres, 10, Terry-ann Lawrence, nine and six-year-old Cavern Lindo

Dacres claims that she was deported from Canada in 2003 and four of her six kids were expected to have been sent here to join her by the relevant authorities. She also expected that she would have met up with the other two kids who were living here with their father.

In explaining her state of confusion, she said; "I had two before I left (Jamaica) for Canada, and four while I was there. Since I come back I can't even find the ones that were here...Is like a curse, I can't find not even one of them."

Dacres says that since returning she had made countless attempts to find her first two kids and their father.

She said that she has attempted find out what has happened to her other four kids that were supposed to have been sent down here after she was deported.

NO RESPONSE

"I've written to the Canadian government, the Jamaican government, even the UN, but I get no response yet," she said.

Dacres, who claims that she was deported on January 3, 2003, says that on the day, she was accompanied by authorities to the airport while other officials took her kids and promised that they would be sent to Jamaica once she was reported safe in Jamaica. That day is yet to come.

"When they took me to the airport, they told me that my kids wouldn't be coming on the same flight.They told me that they would be sent to Jamaica whenever I arrive back home," she said.

"I don't know what else to do, I don't know how it happened," the distressed mother added.

An officer attached to Special Branch explained that such a situation is indeed possible. The officer explained that once the family was sent to Jamaica on separate flights then the possibility surely exists.

He also noted that the local police have no influence on the flight arrangements of deportees. "If authorities decided to separate them, we would have no control over that," he explained.

In the meantime, Dacres is asking that anyone who knows the whereabouts of her kids to contact her at 508-5158.

Admitting that while her financial status is not as sound as she wishes it to be, she expressed to THE STAR that she will do whatever it takes to make her kids happy once they are in her care.

"I just want all my kids around me so I can accomodate them the way they deserve to be no matter what it takes," she said.