‘Nowhere closer to finding them,’ Paulwell says of daughter, her mom 

Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal, Phillip Paulwell, has said the authorities are nowhere closer to locating his missing 10-month-old daughter and her mother.

The two were reported missing on September 9 and have not been seen since.

On Tuesday, Paulwell expressed thanks to his colleagues in the House of Representatives as well as to the House staff for their support.

“Indeed, all of Jamaica who have reached out to me over the last two weeks as I go through my own personal trial despite the fact that we are nowhere closer today than we were two weeks ago in finding my daughter Sarayah and her mother. But I do feel the prayers and it’s prayers from hundreds and hundreds of Jamaicans who have reached out,” Paulwell said.

“…In these times, sometimes your own faith can be weakened, but I can assure you, Madam Speaker and indeed this nation, my faith is stronger today than it has been,” he added.


Paulwell also thanked the police for the work they have been doing “and to urge everybody to continue to pray so that they will be returned safe”.

Paulwell’s daughter and her mother, 27-year-old Toshyna Patterson, were reported missing on September 9. They were reportedly last seen at their Gilmore Drive home in Kingston 20.

On September 15 it was reported in the media that a person of interest whom the police believe can help in their investigations was removed from an aircraft at one of the island’s two international airports as that person attempted to leave the island.

In a statement he issued earlier on social media, the veteran MP said he has dealt with many things in his life but described the disappearance of his child and her mother as “by far the most difficult thing I have ever had to navigate”.

He said he was not concerned with the various theories circulating on social media and is pleading with anyone who knows of their whereabouts to contact the authorities, family members or him.