An eight-year-old girl left destitute in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa has been refused permission to join her parents in the UK.
The Guardian reported on the case of Lati-Yana Stephanie Brown, whose mother, Kerrian Bigby, moved from Jamaica to Britain in April 2023 to live with Lati-Yana’s father, Jerome Hardy, a telecommunications worker. Bigby, who works as a carer, left her daughter in the care of her grandmother.
The couple married earlier this year and, after saving £4,000 for the visa application fee, applied in June for Lati-Yana to join them. Following Hurricane Melissa, which destroyed the house where the child and her grandmother lived in Cash Hill, Hanover, they urged the Home Office to expedite the decision, saying an urgent situation had become an emergency.
Unicef has launched an appeal to support 1.6 million children across the region with clean water, education and nutrition supplies.
Despite this, the Home Office rejected the application. In its refusal letter, officials wrote: “While it is acknowledged the effects of the natural disaster have significantly affected you and the wider population of Jamaica, I am also aware that you continue to reside with family members. Stating that your grandmother is unable to provide care, evidence of this has not been demonstrated. It has therefore not been demonstrated that you could not be cared for by relatives in the country you currently reside.”
Lati-Yana’s parents said they were devastated and would appeal against the decision. Their lawyer warned, however, that a backlog of 106,000 cases could mean a wait of up to two years before the appeal is heard.
Bigby said: “As her mother, being separated from my daughter is incredibly painful. I cannot sleep at night knowing she is far away and not receiving the care and support that every child needs. The emotional toll on both of us is significant. Reuniting with my daughter is not just a wish, it is a necessity for her development and my ability to fulfil my responsibilities as her mother.”
Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, representing the family, criticised the Home Office’s stance. “The Home Office’s approach demonstrates a troubling lack of compassion and understanding for a vulnerable young girl who is currently separated from her parents,” he said. He urged officials to reconsider urgently, stressing their statutory duty to make the child’s best interests a primary consideration.
Half of the visa fee is paid directly to the Home Office, with the remainder covering an NHS surcharge for potential health costs. While the surcharge is refundable if an application is rejected, the rest is not. The couple will now face several thousand pounds more in costs to pursue their appeal.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “All visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the immigration rules.”
