Old Harbour mother determined to find missing son

For 35-year-old Nicola Maye, her world as she knew it tilted on its axis on December 22, 2023, when she discovered that her son 21-year- old Jamar Jackson was missing.

She woke up that fateful Saturday morning and realised that he was not in the house. Jackson, who is also affectionately known as ‘Daddy’, left the house between late Friday night and the wee hours of Saturday morning and has not been seen since. Hence they cannot be certain of the circumstances or exactly what he was wearing.

“Everyone in the house was asleep when he left,” Maye tells Old Harbour News in an interview, adding she has no idea what he was wearing at the time.

To the best of her recollection worried mother said: “I know he had on black and white draw string shorts and green and black slippers but I can’t tell what shirt he had on.”

The authorities, she said, have not been much help in locating for her child.

“The Old Harbour police only took my report. I gave them three photographs of him but they haven’t gotten back to me. Last week an officer called to ask if he was home and I said no and he said to call if there is any update. That’s all,” she said, before adding “I’m not satisfied with their response because them nuh do nutten and them nah go do nutten! Them nah help me look for me pickney. A me one a look fi him. Dem nah back me up.”

When asked if she knew of or heard of any possible theories surrounding his disappearance, Maye admits that her son at times smokes cannabis and usually this triggers a negative psychological episode that can leave him in a vulnerable state.

“Him kinda mental when he smokes the ganja,” said the Burke Road resident who resides in a section of the community known as 'Africa'. “It kinda triggers off him head. One time dem call me sey him a walk inna him underwear in Old Harbour so me go fi him. Is only when he smokes ganja that he does foolishness. Otherwise he is fine.”

She fondly recalls that ‘Daddy’ whose favourite food is bulgur porridge plus rice and peas and fried chicken, is a lover of reggae and R&B music so she longs to hear him playing his music over a hot meal again. 

“Me, me neighbour dem, me mada and sister all go look fi him. We walk and look,” she said.

They have been practically everywhere. Once for three days they scoured the Linstead community as a man fitting his description was spotted there.

“Sometimes me deh a road until all hours of the night with me 10-month-old baby a look fi him. Me go a town, me even reach a Ocho Rios searching. I put up his picture on social media and got reports of him being at a bus stop in Linstead and I went and searched but didn’t find him,” said Maye.

As to her other children, they are having a hard time managing without their sibling.

“I try my best not to break down and cry in front of them ‘cause then they sit and cry with me. I don’t want them to always see me crying.”

While her family and friends have rallied around her, one person she said has not joined the search at all. Jamar’s own father she declared is very much aware of the situation but has not extended himself to help in any way.

“Him sell cane right at Old Harbour clock and every day me cuss him and sey you a sell and nah look fi you pickney so it look like sey you glad sey him missing,” she bemoaned.

The self-employed mother of seven children says Jamar is her oldest child and the love she has for him is unwavering. She admits that it has been hard coping these last three weeks.

“A bay walk me walk and bawl. Them tell me fi stop stress but a me fuss child and me can’t get over this. I will never ever get over this. Yes I know me have high blood pressure and me have me other children to think about if anything should happen to me,” she said. “I know I have them to live for as well but he is my child so I can’t help it. Me pray and beg God every day fi bring him back to me.”

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Nicola Maye's son should immediately contact her at 876 289 8895 or the Old Harbour Police Station at 876 203 3659.