Little Jayce had a happy spirit - 3-year-old who was killed by gunmen laid to rest

At 1 p.m. on a typical weekday, three-year-old Jayce Pinnock would have been in his classroom at the Edward Seaga Infant School, but instead his body lay in a tiny blue and white casket inside the Pentecostal City Mission Church on Blount Street in Denham Town.

Little Jayce, known as 'Zaza', was gunned down inside his Nelson Street home on February 20. His father, Kiero Pinnock, and his eight-year-old brother were also injured and hospitalised. Pinnock subsequently died. Scores of mourners turned out on Thursday to pay their respect to the little boy who everyone remembered as smart and witty.

"We were there when he broke his leg and buck his toe. We love that Jayce with everything we had. He was just three but he was very prime and smart. You could send him to the shop and he would come back with exactly what yuh send him to buy. He was like a little man who would sometimes bad up the shopkeeper in his own little way," Sabrina Donaldson, a friend of the family, recalled.

During the eulogy, which was read by Jayce's teachers Natalie Mitchell and Marine Johnson, the infant was remembered as a bright light and one with a happy spirit.

"Although his time with us was short, his life was filled with love and beautiful memories that will stay with us forever. He had a special way with connecting with people of all ages. We had the honour of watching Jayce grow and shine each day and he came to school full of energy, and was always ready to share his happiness with everyone. His sweet and innocent comments would often make his classmates laugh and brought joy to our hearts. He worked quickly and showed excitement in whatever he did," Mitchell said.

Temporarily, scores of crying faces were transformed into laughter as his teachers mentioned that lunchtime was little Jayce's favourite time of day.

"He loved food and whenever we were cooking, his face would light up with excitement and he would quickly ask 'Teacher, lunch ready?'. If you told him no, then he would just stop whatever task he was doing in class. Those were the moments that made us laugh and now they are memories we will treasure deeply," Johnson recalled.

As she sat in front of his little casket, Jayce's mother Ladonia Cunningham wept throughout most of the thanksgiving service. With tears streaming down her face, she kissed a picture frame bearing her son's image. Consumed with grief, she attempted to exit the church for breaths of fresh air, but after walking just a few steps, Cunningham collapsed and was assisted by several mourners. The thanksgiving service was attended by members of the Government, including Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, and Education Minster Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon.

During a tearful tribute, Member of Parliament for West Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, urged Jamaicans to stand against violence towards children.

"Stand in defence of our children and we should not stop as this should be a wake-up call for all of us. Three terrorists are responsible and two are in police custody and the third is still running. Yuh can run as fast as yuh can but we are going to catch you," he said. "The reward that I put out of $600,000, I am increasing that reward to $1 million."

McKenzie then saluted Cunningham in demonstrating that she is a woman of virtue and strength.

"Nobody knows what Jayce's future would have held and what he could have done for this country. Sleeping endure but joy cometh in the morning," McKenzie said as he fought to hold back tears.