Dead woman kept in bed for nearly two years
Driven by what she described as a divine vision, a Westmoreland caregiver kept the body of an elderly woman in her home for nearly two years claiming she could not report the death because the woman "wasn't saved" and she didn't want her to go to hell.
The shocking discovery was made on Sunday at a house in Old Hope district, Little London, where the mummified remains of Viola Destin were found laying on a mattress, still wrapped in a sheet and partially covered by tarpaulin.
"She said God spoke to her in a vision and tell her not to bury the body or report it. And that the woman wasn't saved and that's why she had to keep her from being buried so she can be saved. She don't want her [Destin] to go to hell," a trusted STAR source disclosed.
According to the police's Constabulary Communications Network, Destin is believed to have died on December 10, 2023. However, instead of notifying the authorities, her live-in caregiver, 54-year-old Gena Robinson, concealed the body inside a room in the house until it was discovered by a relative who became suspicious.
"I don't think she had any close family in Jamaica. The woman that was taking care of her was her caretaker who she met through the church," the source said.
Even after nearly two years, parts of the body were still intact, raising questions about how it was preserved. "Skin was still on the bones when you look at it so she [the caregiver] must did a do something fi keep the body. Maybe she did have embalming fluids or something," the source suggested.
"The woman inna bed lie down inna sheet same way. There was a tarpaulin there as well," the source added.
Given the advanced state of decomposition, the source noted, "Maybe an autopsy can't be done based on the state it's in. But maybe get a toxicology report done."
The police say the scene was processed and the body removed to the morgue pending a post-mortem. Robinson has since been charged with failure to report the death of a person, preventing the lawful burial of a corpse, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
When contacted by THE STAR, Superintendent Othniel Dobson, commanding officer for the Westmoreland Police Division, said discussions are ongoing about the matter.
"We are supposed to have a meeting tomorrow (today) regarding the matter so I am not able to give any details," he said.
Asked if anything like this had happened in the area before, Dobson said, "Not to my knowledge."