Demolition halted again at St Thomas building after discovery of human remains

The St Thomas Police have again halted the demolition exercise being carried out by a team from the parish's municipal corporation at the Loyal James Lodge premises in Morant Bay.  

They say this is to facilitate further investigations into the discovery of some seven skulls and several other skeletal remains, believed to be of humans, since the start of the activity on Sunday.  

The latest find by workers happened yesterday, with the discovery of three skulls and additional bones.  

Head of operations at the St Thomas Police, Deputy Superintendent O'Neil Thompson told The Gleaner that the police have taken a vested interest in the matter.  

“There are calls for further investigation into the scene. While we don't want to call it a crime scene, it is an area of interest and the site has been cordoned off,” he said.  

Thompson said the police are yet to identify a person of interest.  

He said post-mortems have been ordered. 

The property's caretaker, a former officer of the St Thomas Fire Brigade for more than 30 years who declined to have his name published, has said while he was aware that the building was due for demolition, he was surprised at the grisly discoveries. 

An elderly resident who requested anonymity said that she recalled three lodges operating from the space, two of which have been defunct since the 1970s. The third, she said, was shut down about seven years ago. 

Demolition workers have found documents they say give a glimpse into the lodge operations at the building in the 1970s.  

-Shanna Kaye Monteith

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