Charred Remains Of Elderly Woman Found With Chop Wounds, Limbs Severed

The partially burnt body of a 60-year-old Jamaican woman was found with chop wounds in a hut near the Ken Jones aerodrome on Thursday, July 22.

The charred remains of Cynthia 'Tiny' Hinds of St Margaret's Bay were found inside her hut that was destroyed by fire.

"We were alerted about 9 ‘o'clock this morning that a body was found burning at St Margaret's Bay in a hut that was destroyed by fire," Deputy Superintendent of Police Thornville Haughton, who is the acting head of the Portland Division, told Observer Online.

Hinds, a plantain farmer, was found dead at her farm by another farmer, who was on the way to his farm.

"The charred remains are suspected to be the body of a female, Cynthia Hinds, who farms right here. It is not yet clear how this happened but it is of major concern to us and is one that we want to be settled as soon as possible," Haughton said.

Hinds’s body was found with her limbs severed, the news outlet reported.

The victim’s daughter, Annmarie Bryan, said she learned about the murder when her stepfather told her that something bad had happened to her mother.

"I realized that something was wrong," said Bryan.

"Mi jump inna di the car, and when mi cum down here, the hut was on fire. I took my bare hands and hold di burning zinc,and when I look, I saw the remains of my mother. Di two-foot dem off, di hand dem off, the forehead buss, the belly-side buss out," she continued.

"Justice mi a seek fi mi madda! She nuh deserve dis! She nuh deserve dis!"

"Anybody in a Portland or Jamaica call di name of Winey Tiney Cynthia Hinds, a one word come to dem mouth: farming or farmer. She nuh deserve this! She nuh deserve dis! Right now har remains ova de so. Yuh hear? It ova de so bun out! Come een like when breadfruit bun up and yuh knock it and di ashes drop off. Mi need justice fi mi mother, so mi a ask Jamaica fi help wi get justice fi Cynthia!"

The motive behind the slaying is unclear at this time. The investigators have also not identified a suspect. The police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward and report to the authorities.

"I am appealing to those who have any information to contact the police either here in Portland or anywhere across the island as we carry out our investigation," Haughton said.

"Based on what has happened here I can see that the community is hurting and I want to assure the community and family that we are going to get to the bottom of this matter as soon as possible," he said.

The murder has left the community in shock.

"Tiny was a loved person and helpful in the community and troubled no one. If anyone wants anything is Tiny; any community meeting 'Tiny'. Tiny is one of the best women we have in the community," a local resident, who did not wish to be identified, told the local news outlet.

"Is yesterday I spoke to her and to hear this now is so sad. I know her for over 30 years from mi come a Portland to live. She farms everything. A very hard-working woman. [She has] four daughters and a she one grow them."