Child advocacy group renews call for public sex offenders registry after Trelawny girl's killing

A child advocacy organization is renewing calls for Jamaica's sex offenders registry to be made public following the rape and murder of 10-year-old Shani Coke in Trelawny last week.

The Fi We Children Foundation said the tragedy highlights the urgent need to strengthen Jamaica's child protection system through legislative and policy reform.

The man accused of killing the child, Delroy Coke, was later killed by angry residents in an apparent act of vigilante justice. Reports indicate he had a history of sexual offences and had recently been released from prison.

In a statement, the foundation argued that making the sex offenders registry publicly accessible would allow parents, guardians, schools, childcare institutions and communities to identify convicted sex offenders living in their neighbourhoods and take steps to better protect children.

The organisation is also calling for a comprehensive review of the Child Care and Protection Act, saying stronger legal safeguards are needed to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

It further urged the government to strengthen prevention and early intervention measures to identify children at risk, while increasing investment in child protection services, including investigations, victim support and community-based prevention programmes.

"While Jamaica has enacted important child protection laws and policies, implementation remains a persistent challenge," the foundation said, adding that intervention too often comes only after a child has suffered irreparable harm.

While condemning the child's killing, the organisation also denounced the mob slaying of the accused, stressing that accountability must be pursued through the rule of law to ensure justice is served and the integrity of criminal investigations is preserved.

The foundation also appealed to media organisations to carefully consider the ethical implications of publishing photographs of child victims, urging news outlets to report in ways that preserve the dignity of children and avoid causing additional trauma to grieving families.

Jamaica's sex offenders registry is currently maintained by the Department of Correctional Services and is not open to the general public. Access is limited to specified groups, including the police, professional counsellors of offenders, prospective employers and employees, and certain relatives of offenders.

In May 2025, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the government would review aspects of the registry with a view to prioritising public safety over offender confidentiality.

Calls for the registry to be made public have persisted for years, with supporters arguing that the current level of confidentiality offers greater protection to offenders than to potential victims.

Meanwhile, Children's Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison described Shani's murder as a painful reminder of the danger posed by sexual predators.

In a statement, Gordon Harrison said the incident underscores the collective responsibility of Jamaicans to protect children from abuse, exploitation and violence. She also condemned the reported mob killing of the accused man.