Family fears worst for missing man - Relatives desperate for answers after 20-year-old vanishes in Old Harbour

The aunt of a missing 20-year-old, Dovaun Bailey, says her family is struggling to cope with his disappearance, as fears grow that he may have been killed and his body dumped somewhere.

Twenty-eight-year-old Vanessa Brown, whose voice was hoarse from crying when she spoke with The Gleaner, said the family has been left desperate for answers since her nephew, who is from Jones Avenue, went missing in Old Harbour, St Catherine.

“The whole situation a weigh pon me but mi just have to try go through,” Brown said.

“Honestly at this point mi think them kill him because by now we would have found him already to how far and wide information of his disappearance gone.”

Brown said her nephew, who had been living at New Harbour in Old Harbour for approximately a year, was last known to be in the company of friends after an altercation at a skating rink in the town.

She said the young man had been staying at the home of a friend's mother because he was working with a nearby company. However, after the man he worked with migrated, he stopped working and began making TikTok videos with several friends.

According to Brown, the woman with whom he was staying said she had not seen him since November 1. However, some of his friends reportedly told relatives that they saw him on Sunday morning.

This has led the family to believe that he disappeared sometime between Sunday evening and Monday.

Brown said the family reported the matter to the Old Harbour Police Station, with the young man's mother making the initial report on November 5. Brown said she returned to the station on November 8 to provide additional information.

She said the family has been particularly concerned about the circumstances surrounding his last known whereabouts, including an alleged altercation at the skating rink.

“Him did in a some altercation at the Skateland in Old Harbour and a that a the last place dem see him. Skateland deh across the road from the station and we can't get nothing from the police,” she said.

Brown also raised concerns about alleged footage from an establishment which, she claimed, could help determine the young man's movements before he disappeared.

It is alleged that footage which could provide important details about his whereabouts was deleted.

“It look like seh dem kill him and people have footage but who have it nah release it,” she said.

The family has also received conflicting reports about his whereabouts, including claims that he was seen walking in Spanish Town and appeared to be mentally disturbed.

However, Brown questioned why no one had been able to locate him, given that his photograph and information about his disappearance had been widely circulated on social media.

She rejected suggestions that her nephew had a history of mental illness or had previously displayed behaviour that would suggest he was experiencing a mental health crisis.

“Mi nephew is a sensible and healthy person. He is not mad nor has he had any episodes or has gone anywhere and him people don't know and him always have him phone them,” she said.

“The only thing wid my nephew is that him nuh listen to him mother all the time.”

Despite their concerns, Brown said the family is willing to hear the truth about the young man's circumstances, even if it means confronting allegations that he may have been involved in wrongdoing.

“We a hear story say him a thief and in wrong so we ask him friend them, if him a bad man, tell we so we can stop put up things say him innocent. All if him a bad man give we the body because if him do somebody something and them kill him a so it fi go,” she said.

She said the young man had previously received a lump sum of money following an accident and was known to enjoy spending time with friends.

“Him meet in an accident and got a lump sum of money and a friend him spent it pon. Him love company,” Brown said.

The family has also received multiple anonymous tips alleging that his body may be in Clarendon. However, the police have not confirmed that a body was found in the area.

Brown said the family's appeal is for anyone who may have information about his whereabouts to come forward.

“If he took something that triggered a mental episode and him a walk up and down mad, if somebody really see him [they] should carry him to the nearest police station so we can take him home and get him help,” she said.

“I don't believe he is alive. I don't want to think like that but they did something to him. If dem kill him give we him body make we go bury him. We need the closure, in any state that he is. Tell us where to find him.”

Brown said the family had been forced to turn to social media to generate public attention, despite believing that the country's security forces should be doing more to help locate the missing man.

“A TikTok we have to be using to get some help and we have laws and security forces that should be helping us,” she said.

She noted that residents staged a march in Old Harbour yesterday in an effort to draw attention to the disappearance.

“Everybody a say them see him around Old Harbour, him give joke and support everybody. If so much people know him how come nobody don't see him?” she asked.

The emotional strain has also affected the young man's immediate family, particularly his mother, who Brown said has been unable to function normally since his disappearance.

“My body is shaking, I can't do anything because I can't think of a good situation where he is alive. Not even work his mother can't go. We cannot function,” she said.

Brown said her nephew is the eldest of four children for his mother. He attended Ascot High School and had aspirations of becoming a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technician.

She also said she had previously told her sister that the only way she could imagine him suddenly appearing mentally unwell was if something had been given to him.

“I told my sister that the only way Dovaun can be mad is if them give him lizard tail or them put something inna him drink because he is not a child of that sort,” she said.

Police sources have confirmed that the missing-person report was actioned and a search was conducted, but the 20-year-old has not been found.

The family is continuing to appeal for information that could help establish what happened to him and bring an end to their uncertainty.

tiffany.pryce@gleanerjm.com