The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AN Acklins man who reportedly called police for help after getting lost has been missing for a week, reigniting fears among residents who say others have inexplicably disappeared without a trace on their island before.

James McKinney, a father of five, was reportedly searching for cascarilla bark last Tuesday, a day before his 60th birthday, when he called a family friend, a retired police officer, in distress. He reportedly said his last known location was near the high wall “with plenty of grass.”

He was told to stay at the spot until help arrived, but when residents went to search for him, he was nowhere to be found.

Police said that efforts to find the missing resident — including use of drone technology, K-9 units and assistance from the UB Coast Guard and Defence Force — have been unsuccessful.

Police said teams searched for seven days throughout the surrounding bush areas with negative results.

However, his family criticised their efforts, claiming their response was slow and that more could have been done.

“No help was surrendered that night of the incident from the police,” a family spokesperson, a sister of one of Mr McKinney’s children, told The Tribune. “That time was very vital in this investigation while he had service/battery on his cellphone. Community members stepped in and helped prior to the police.”

Relatives said the man was still suffering from a stroke he suffered a year ago.

Mr Mckinney usually spent his days at the island’s national insurance office and was well-known in the community. Residents described him as non-problematic.

Before falling ill, he worked as a painter and cleaner and did many related jobs, they said.

Residents said this was not the first time someone had gone missing in the Spring Point area, known for its tall bushes, hidden caves, and dangerous holes.

They said the area is frequently visited by people collecting cascarilla bark, a valuable commodity and source of income for many.

Former chief councillor Steven Rose recalled the alleged case of Alice Darling, an elderly woman he said disappeared twice. He said the first time, she was found and brought back home, but told those who rescued her that she had been with others who treated her better and warned that if she left again, she would not be found.

He said days later, she vanished a second time. Despite extensive searches, Mr Rose said no trace of her — not even clothing or other belongings — has ever been found.

Claims that supernatural forces are to blame for the disappearances, while impossible to prove, persist among those searching for answers.

Mr Rose named others who went missing and were never found, but The Tribune did not find publicly available evidence to verify their missing status. 

Mr Rose said residents want warnings to the public about the dangers of travelling near Spring Point.

He described the area as a vast wilderness, with dense bushes on either side once people leave the public road. The landscape consists mainly of thick forest and a large salt pond.