8-y-o’s death still a mystery - Mother seeks closure, funeral set for Sunday

This Sunday, August 3, will be most heartbreaking in the life of Prudence Griffiths.

As a string of gospel songs played in the background, the grieving woman told THE STAR that she does not know how she will say goodbye to her son Navado Blackburn. To make matters worse, she said his death remains as mystery as the results of an autopsy are pending.

"Right now mi just ago bury mi son and leave everything inna God hands. The way mi baby decomposed, mi nah go see back him face inna the casket Sunday. Is a close casket him ago do. Mi miss mi son and only God know how mi feel. They are saying the cause of death is pending so right now mi a go bury mi son and mi don't know what kill him," Griffiths said.

The partially decomposed body of eight-year-old Navado was found in the back of a car on May 28 in Gregory Park, St Catherine. The youngster, who his mother said was autistic, went missing on May 23 and was last seen playing on a field on Queens Avenue just minutes away from his home. It is unclear how little Navado got inside the car but Griffiths said she firmly believed he did not go in there willingly.

"The doctor say dem still a go try and use stuff [that was found] at the scene to see if dem can determine what kill him. It still a puzzle mi same way because I know my son didn't go in the car, and the way mi see how him stay in the car, it is not him who do himself suh," Griffiths said.

She rejected claims by members of the public that she neglected her son.

"Mi never one day neglect any of mi children. It wasn't mi who put mi son in the car. The little boy is not the type to go on that avenue, and to know the little short time him run from him granny, how him reach in car? My son couldn't shut down the car door and lock himself in. Mi just would want to know what happen to mi baby," she added.

After laying her son's remains to rest at the Thetford Park Cemetery, the distraught mother said she will be working assiduously to relocate from Gregory Park.

"I have access to a piece of land and mi just wish mi could get help from Food For The Poor because mi well want to come out of where mi live. Mi stress out and sometimes mi feel like mi ago mad," she said.