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At just 23 years old, Max* faces a difficult reality: a five-year-old girl now in his mother's care may be his daughter, but only a DNA test can provide the certainty he needs.

Six years ago, while still in high school, Max's then girlfriend told him she was pregnant with his child. She then left school due to the pregnancy and hardly communicated with Max, even when the baby was born. Max said he was never informed, and his name was not listed on the birth certificate. Over the years, the child's mother allowed him only sporadic contact with the child for brief moments before vanishing again.

However, things changed one month ago when the mother left the child with a friend to travel overseas. Weeks later, the friend was unable to contact the mother as she would not take her calls. So, the friend reached out to Max and his mother Gloria*. The mother explained that after hearing about the situation, in good conscience, she could not sit idly by. So, she sent Max's sister to another parish to collect the child, and Gloria has cared for her ever since.

"When mi hear how she hardly was going to school and a guh school dirty and how she nah get tek care a, mi couldn't just mek she stay," Gloria explained. She added that ever since meeting the child as a baby, she had a connection to the infant.

"I love her, enuh, and believe she looks like my son. But I need to be sure she is my granddaughter before I continue putting all this effort into her. I've already registered her at a nearby school and got her package, but we can't carry the financial burden if she's not really family," she explained, adding that if a DNA test proves she's not her granddaughter, things will change.

"If the DNA test shows she's not my granddaughter, her mother will have to make arrangements for other family members to take care of her," Gloria said. She said that communication with the mother has been frustrating.

"Four days ago was the first time she reached out since me have the child. She called me and wanted to speak to her, but the child was asleep, so I told her I would call back. Since then, it's like a cat and mouse -- when I call, I can't reach her; when she calls, I miss the call," she said.

Despite her growing bond with the child, Gloria is clear about needing the truth.

"I care for the child, but I can't keep supporting a child who isn't my granddaughter. That's why we need the test."

Max also explained that he believes the child is his daughter but stressed the need for proof.

"It looks like her mother ran off and isn't coming back, so we're the ones caring for her now," he said. "I see her every day, and people say she looks like me and I see it too, but looks alone can't prove anything."

He continued, "I've helped her mother before when asked, but now the financial responsibility is fully on me and my mother because the mother is absent, and I want to be sure this child is mine before mi commit mi all"

Multiple attempts to contact the child's mother for comment were unsuccessful up to press time.

*Names changed to protect identity