Who killed 12 year old Jannessa Jones?
jannessa jones
The Ladyville community is still in shock as it grieves the murder of twelve year old school girl, Janessa Jones. The body of the child was pulled out of the sea near Mile Four on the Northern Highway before noon on Wednesday. The young girl had multiple fractures on the skull and abrasions on her body. Janessa went missing on Monday and her mother, Arlene Bainton, said on Tuesday that she sent her on an errand at around four-thirty from Ladyville to Belize City on public transportation. There are no suspects in custody at this time and News Five’s Marion Ali set out to find more on Janessa’s homicide but there are more questions than answers.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This was the spot where twelve year old Jannessa Jones was discovered at around eleven o’clock on Wednesday morning; just a few hundred yards east of the Haulover Bridge right were the river meets the sea. Her body was washed up in mangroves across from the Bay View Oasis hangout spot at mile four and a half on the Northern Highway. Reno Castillo was fishing along with friends when he discovered the body.
Voice of: Reno Castillo, discovered body of 12 yr old
“I see something like bag or something like that and I tell them, watch that cause I mi think dah mi wah bag ah money or something like that. Then afta that we come cross but we gone cross yah and we dash the net and we see like clothes. Then afta that he tell me like wah human deh deh. Then afta that we tell di man make we go back cause we noh wahn go close to that cause make dehn noh blame we.”
Reno Castillo went and told his boss who in turn alerted the police. An experienced seaman, Castillo’s boss told us off-camera that based on how the winds have been blowing for the past week; he believes the child’s body drifted from the direction of the Haulover Creek and not from the sea.
Voice of Seaman
“Normally from experience, the river flows out, but we have prevailing south easterly winds from last weekend until now. So most naturally I would figure that where the body was lodge was where the current of the river met the waves and the breeze coming in that’s why it went in that area that it was found.”
Marion Ali
“So more or less you are saying that the body was likely thrown in the river somewhere upstream, like in Haulover creek you mean?”
Voice of: Seaman
“I would possibly suggest that yeah.”
Marion Ali
“Not from the other side by the sea mouth?”
Voice of: Seaman
“I wouldn’t see how, I wouldn’t see how from the position that it was found.”
Marion Ali
“And because of the winds?”
Voice of: Seaman
“Exactly, right.”
Our investigations took us all the way to a road near Saint Paul’s Bank where a child who knew Jannessa, said she saw her get off a blue bus on Tuesday evening at this cut-off near the village. That was an entire day after Jannessa was reported missing. 
That bus, operated by Malon McFadzean, runs from Belize City to Saint Paul’s Bank, which is located off the Boom Road. Saint Paul’s Bank is in the next direction from how her mother sent her the day before. It is an account that no one else can verify, including the daughter of the Vice Principal of Belize Rural High School, Mary Wade Budd.
Marion Ali
“Your daughter would have seen her if she had gotten on the bus?”
Mary Wade Budd, Vice Principal, Belize Rural High School
“Yes because she is familiar with the little girl.”
Marion Ali
Mary Wade Budd
“And your daughter got on the bus from?”
Mary Wade Budd
“Belize City because that day she was in Belize City because she had to attend doctor. So she caught the bus from Belize City at three-thirty from Amara Avenue and came all the way to Bermudian Landing.”
We also called the owner of the bus, Malon McFadzean and he said he no one got off at that cut-off on Tuesday evening. Whether Jannessa was on the bus or not gives little comfort to the twenty six classmates she now leaves behind at Our Lady of the Way RC Primary in Ladyville. They went about their schoolwork but noticeably there was a void. Vice Principal, Emogene Ramclam said that the little girl’s death has impacted the school’s enrollment to the core.
Emogene Ramclam, Vice Principal, Our Lady of the Way RC Primary School
“We’re planning a memorial mass tomorrow to celebrate her life. The teachers, everybody is directly affected by it. Honestly we’re all lost for words. It’s something very hard to cope with because like I have been telling them, I have been teaching for over ten years and it is my eighth year here at Our Lady of the Way R.C. School and it is the first time we’ve ever have to deal with something like this. So just this morning we were planning the songs that we’re going to sing tomorrow for the memorial and it just breaks everybody’s heart. She had several friends. 
Her best friend was Esmeralda and Esmeralda recalled the Monday evening when the bell rang at three-thirty and they went their different directions that she waved goodbye at her. She was very happy, said goodbye. Another student mentioned that they had a project the following day at school and they were deciding who was going to bring what material and Jannessa was supposed to bring the Bristol board. So they discussed all that before going home the Monday evening.”
Janessa was also said to be a bright child at school.
emogene ramclam
Emogene Ramclam
“She took part in the festival of arts dance and she won gold. She was always in different sporting activities. She was just that type of person you know where you can call on her at anytime to do anything and she would willingly jump and do what you asked her to do. Very promising student, honestly, she was very bright—very promising student.”
A promising student whose life was cut short at the hands of a killer who police are trying to close in on as her family copes with the devastating loss. Marion Ali for News Five.
Jannessa’s body was found a mile away from her house, where she lived with her mother, three siblings and stepfather. She also leaves behind her father, Joshua Jones.
Her body was found a mile from her home?……Who would beat her in the head for being hard headed & not doing what she was told, then have to drag her body because they could not lift dead weight?
If there was that much decomposition that this child’s body could not be taken to the morgue, I don’t believe that she was seen alive Tuesday evening.
Between 4:30-5 PM there were people on that road returning home from work, did anyone see this child at the bus stop & if she was there, which bus did she ride into the city? Has the police talked to the other children in the home? Can someone confirm where all the adults in this child’s life were & who has access to an automobile? Rule out the people closest to her before we go looking for the bogey man. Yes, I am pissed & I want every adult who screwed her over or failed to protect her shaking in their boots & hiding their faces in shame. If corporal punishment got out of hand, say so, deal with the consequences but do not allow the other children in that home to spend the rest of their lives in fear & carry this burden into adulthood.
Poor Jannessa Jones life was cut short, she did not deserved to die this way, yet she played the victim.
Either the mother was on crack and suffered memory loss, and cannot remember on which day she sent her precious daughter into the city, or the friend totally got her story twisted in all the excitement.
Her killer offered her a ride home, possible someone she knew from her village. Hope the killer will get what’s coming to him soon enough.
R.I.P..
This got to be a child molester that done this kind of act. Now investigater need to focus on who say this poor little girl on the bus. It just disgosting to know someone with such evil mind.
What an appalling story,so difficult to comprehend how someone can be so animalistic.To make matters worse,it was also sickening to hear,this twelve year old child postmortem,a very crucial part of an investigation was done on the side of a dirt road,how can this helpless child be discarded like a piece of trash?Was this the work of our serial killer,responsible for the murders of all those other children?Or something even more sinister,happening at home?I truely believe all missing and exploited children investigation,should start at home.I,as a very concerned belizean,is calling on my prime minister to make this senseless murder,our number one priority to be solved,and to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this heinous crime.I would also like to ask the media to help us in anyway possible,to help us in the apprehension of the killer,or killers,of one of our country’s precious resource,our youths.
For a while, the “Jack” who was responsible for the death of sever little girls a while back had disappeared from activities. we now have this di cum back to haunt us….can it be that the person known as ‘Jack’ had for some reason ended up in jail and has now cum out to haunt us again?? can we find a smart Police officer who can investigate this??
my respect to this child and hoping that justice someday is served, but really there are lots of questions that should be brought out concerning the parents relations with their kids if things happens like this. maybe catching a bus never happen and the mom made it up covering the step dads brutal punishment to the little girl and to cover it they made it up, who knows, this has happened before that moms cover up for step dads. this should be investigated fully till the murder is found.
BZNinCALI I am thinking along the same lines. What Belize authorities fail to realise that a significant proportion of children who are physically, mentally and emotionally abused knew and trusted the perpetrators. Forget stranger danger, its usually right in the homes.
A recent stats says about 1 in 4 women here in Bze are in abusive relationships, so why would their children be safe? I am not saying this is the case here as mothers have been convicted murdering their children too. We just need to be open to all possibilities.
I would like the police to continue to question all adults in this child’s life.
Maddy, I would not necessarily conclude the killer is a man. Its highly likely but do not underestimate a woman’s ability.
I know everyone are upset and outraged at such a sick and hideous crime especially one that involves an female child. However upsetting, the very nature of this crime needs to be examined and I agree with u “Bze in Cali”, we need to investigate all the occupants inside the little girl’s household and get some views on whether there were any abuse or neglect or anything that would raise a red flag. You know its also very disturbing that a LOT of parents send their young children on buses, in cabs and even to sell fruits, pastries, or whatever on the streets of Bze that’s not even safe for a grown adult much less a young child. There are sick people out there and they are out to get any and everyone whose vulnerable. Just a few months ago a little girl and her little brother were seemingly abducted never to be found again! Why? Parents need to STOP being so careless and be more vigilant in protecting themselves and their children in belize. Sad to say but this poor little girl will be yet another statistic in the murder rate in Bze…the police will never find the killer.
People wake up no one could have done this to her but her mother…… Has to do with her mother she same one must have beat that little girl never meant to kill her but did so she threw her body in the river………read and listen to what she said making up story………..She is worthless trash should bury her too so sick maybe the little girl was in abuse maybe her step father wanted to play with her all of that who knows…………deal with her mother and step father……..they are sick she look like a big weed smoker too just the looks…………..R.I.P baby girl
@ rod You cannot blame this Government for the STUPIDBOND or the WALL STREET THIEVES!!!!!
The whole world is in recession the European currency idea is showing the signs of struggle with POOR MANAGEMENT OF ALL governments WORLD WIDE previous to 2008 and I repeat all governments world wide. Between hurricanes and a massive inherited debt the government is doing a FAIR job with the limited finances they have to work with.
When I came to Belize in 2010 I went to look for a very good friend of mine who is like a mother
to me,and this little girl and other children, maybe her siblings, they had a stall,in front of their home, selling golden plum,so i ask them how is their mother doing, because i grew up with her uncles.I bought some golden plum and told them to keep the change, and they were so happy, then i told them keep doing what they are doing because it was real responsible and positive, then my wife look at my 2 daughters who was with us and told them to learn from what these children are doing.These demons don’t even have mercy for children. I cant imagine this child was going through.
DID THEY SAVE THE DNA EVIDENCE?????????????? It will be useful later……………..
It always break our hearts when we see or hear of crimes committed against our children, they are our precious resources. No doubt, this have been very upsetting to me and from the dialog here for the past 2 days for many. What could we do as a blog community, something positive that would come out of this terrible situation? I feel so helpless but would like to see a good outcome from this ….. Rom. 8 : 28
What DNA evidence, they did not even do a proper post mortem exam, it was done on the roadside. was there evidence of sexualt assault? why would the body be in such an advance state of decomposition after only 24 hrs? if the Dr can conclusively say the body was dead for more than 48 hrs then the Mom needs to be reinterviewed at the police station
how about cameras on buses that would have helped.
What was the errand? Do we know that yet?
Mistakes were made, but the reality is, an innocent little girl was murdered. Some want to blame the mother for being so irresponsible, but let’s not crucify her. A hideous crime was committed and all we can do at this point is to pray and hope the person responsible is brought to justice before him or her can harm another one of our innocent little girls. I was born and grew up in this village, went to her school, grew up with her Mom, and saw this child a couple times when I visited Belize. This is so sad and breaks my heart, my condolences to the entire Bainton family. To the village, keep your ears and eyes open and keep your children, boys or girls, close to you. Sad, sad story, with such a tragic end. R.I.P baby girl.
The scum that did this should be punished to the full extent. All the same the mother is an accomplice as she had no right sending that child to the city at that time. What was so important? I believe that all parents who engage in this sesnseless behaviour are not fit to be parents. Sending children on errands, having children catch busses to sell stuff etc, all these are dangerous practices that must be stopped. Which is more important, money , errands or a dead child?
Was the child really seen and if so why is the bus driver denying she got off? I know of a case in another country where it was the bus driver that had killed the girl and hid the body. He eventually died if aids in prison.
I am troubled by many things in this case. A mother sends a 12 year old at almost dark of the evening to run an errand in the city, this would mean that by the time this child would be getting back home it would be almost 8oclock or later. What was so important that it could not wait until the next day and go herself to do. Unto the medical examiner or can I even call him such. How can a proper autopsy be done at the side of a dirt road. It is impossible to secure evidence from the body to do a proper investigation or build a case. The medical community really needs to do things in excellence and not halfass as they do now. As far mothers if you can call some of them that. So many women are having these children and expect the kids to help provide for the family. On my visits home it makes me sick to see children who should be in school, kept at home to care for their siblings. Parents are robbing their children of the one thing they should be enjoying, their childhood. I don’t know how many children this woman have, but I would guess they are all different fathers and now she has brought them a stepfather. I venture to guess he is also unemployed. Where is her other daughter, police also need to question her to see if she knows what life is like inside this home.
We cannot blame the government for the faith of this little girl. Parents have to learn to protect their children and not use them. I believe when a woman gives birth simply because she had sex, there is no love towards the child. When children are not born out of love, it is so easy to just disregard them as mistakes and they become a burden to the parent. So please do not blame the worthless government for this one.
My prayer for this child is that she did not suffer, but died quickly. Jesus said, “suffer the little children to come unto me.” I pray she is with Jesus now in peace.
I really believe that people need to get their stories straight before coming on here and accusing and saying unnecessary things. I also believe that the media needs to let the police investigate before they come and report stuff on the news that have people thinking or saying stuff that doesn’t make sense. Channel5 chose to go and investigate in willows Bank if the little girl catch the bus. Did they ask what time the girl catch the bus? What is the bus schedule ? There is alot of people that can be questioned because its a village bus most of the people on the bus are people who rides it every single day and would have notice if someone strange was on the bus.
Did anyone saw the child catch the bus from Ladyville? if she was going to Belize City why would she catch a bus going opposite direction? Ask the mother what was the errand the child went on? why she couldn’t do it herself? what was so important that she went so late? We don’t know the answer to those questions.
I am sorry for the lost of the child and I hope and pray the family didn’t had anything to do with her murder. Parents lets take better care of our kids. I know we cant be there with them every single min of the day but we can find ways to do our best to protect them.
I truely believe that the mother should be arrested because why would she send her 12 year old to the city on bus by herself that is jus cruel!!!!and that woman have bad parenting skill!!!!!In my opinion the mother sounds like she had something to do with the little girls death and she will not be able to live with the fact that she killed one of her own and God forgive me if i am juddging this woman wrongfully but she was STUPID AND HER STUPIDITY LEAD TO THE LOSS OF AN INNOCENT LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!this is to the mother of Jenessa “you need to learn to be concious of your children because they are our future and how will there be a future if you are killing them out”Wise up and open your dammn eyes!!!i hope Belize gets better..this is not the way i remember it.one love.
yow i be reading these comments ppl leave on here well at least the short ones dont have patience fi read dah short stories but i wah seh juss like weh bruce seh bzean have to stop blame the government pan every ting an stop blame dickey for doing his job. Blame the ppl bze is small trust me the family know weh happen to dis precious little girl or some one know.police get on unu job
Didn’t this poor little girl had home work for the next school day.Why would a caring mother send her to Belize City at that time of the day?It would seem more logical to me that this little girl probably hitched hike for something of this magnitude to happen to her.Had she caught a bus someone on that bus would have remembered seeing her.
Didn’t this poor little girl had home work for the next school day.Why would a caring mother send her to Belize City at that time of the day?It would seem more logical to me that this little girl probably hitched hike for something of this magnitude to happen to her.Had she caught a bus someone on that bus would have remembered seeing her.
how many people believe that the mother and stepfather are the ones behind this girls death?i think so because she changed up her mouth….logical thinking people the mother killed her own child!!!!!!!!.
I don’t believe its a Jack situation I think if anyone know the answer the mother does weather she is personally involve or not she know exactly what happen you don’t have to be a police or investigator to see that
All the comments posted are constructive however, we could sit around our computer and play detective all day and ignore the problem . Heinous crimes of this nature pro ports that criminals committing these crimes feel that their misdeeds can be hidden! Perhaps our law enforcement needs a complete overall with state of the art technology to fight crimes and instill fear in anyone missing the make of a comprehensive and progressive society. I believe that when these assailants understand that crime will be unraveled it is then we may see a reduction in the may-ham taking place in my jewel home Belize
I thank channel 5 for making an effort to get more investigative details on what happened because lord knows too many cases of murder go unresolved. Belizean ppl, stop think you need to mind your own business when things like this go down. Nothing will change for the better with that kind of thinking.
I would help donate to any reward being offered to help capture this murderer! I’m sick to my stomach from hearing about poor kids getting killed or coming up missing with no results in catching these killers. If anybody know anything that could help solve this crime please come forward and help clean up Belize!
DNA evidence, well I don’t believe that exist in Belize people. We need to have a database etc and honestly do you all really think that DNA evidence and analyzing it exist in Belize. I don’t believe so, and if it do how would it assist us went probably the criminal might not even be in the system AND HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS DEAL WITH COLD CASES?. None of the government- UDP OR PUP being in power ever invested in my opinion in such technology and I agreed with 4real people stop blame the government, it is we the people that put them there and can make a difference. STOP THE BLAME TOM DICK AND HARRY LOOK AT HOW WE THE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BELIZE IS SMALL SOMEONE SAW SOMETHING AND KNOW SOMETHING IT IS UP TO THE POLICE TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
So sad to loose such a young life.You that did it, I mean you that are watching us , you that is being seen by our Creator, are you not afraid of your sin? You who has cut short a precious life, REMEMBER this: the day will come when you will be about to die, and you will know it, you will be so very sorry, you will fear for eternity. You will sure not fear for your life, but for eternity, REMEMBER that.!!!
One of the most disturbing thing about these killing, is that there are so many killers walking amongst us that could be doing the same thing over and over as a serial killer until hopefully, the person is caught. For those who thinks that the child could have died longer than the time line her mother gave, her school attendant records should be able to shed light on that. So sad that there are some adults that can’t find it in his/her heart to love a child.
JUSTICE WILL NOT BE DENIED……………….
It seems that the police are ever closing in on cases but never able to solve them. I don’t know what is meant by “…police are trying to close in…” on the killers. Lord have mercy on us Belize! And what truly EFFECTIVE measures is the Barrow Admin.taking to really slow down the crime rate. It isn’t getting out of hand…IT IS OUT OF HAND!!!!!
I’m truly sorry for the lost of that child ,as mothers we have to stick our nose an seek help for those parents ,report abuse even report if a parent has a rebellious child, in some way we can avoid disasters.im not saying always cause we all commit mistakes.but i as a mother always said i better be overly protective than lament later .kids grow up and never forget hurtful things an its passed on an on and excuse me if i say arrest is not the answer.but i would say advices con selling, and a close watch would do .lets think in Gods way at least lets try to think with compassion.