Opposition spokesperson on gender Denise Daley has described the sexual assault and murder of a young girl in St. Catherine yesterday, as an affront to collective humanity.

Dead is 9 year old Kelsey Cassidy Ferrigon, of Job Lane in Spanish Town, and a student of St. Johns primary school.

In a statement, Daley said this devastating and deeply disturbing incident has shaken the nation to its core and has also underscored the urgent need for Jamaicans to take the safety of children seriously.

As the country observes Child Month, Daley said the tragedy is a call to action for Jamaicans to move beyond sorrow and into vigilance and care.

Daley stressed the importance of returning to core communal values that once shaped Jamaican society.

She stressed that people must all be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and break the culture of silence that allows harm to go unnoticed.