The life of another girl has been taken away by ruthless savages who continue to prey on the innocent and helpless.

On Friday, the nation hung its head in shame following reports that the decomposed body of 10-year-old Tamieka Thompson was found 300 feet from her Clarendon home after being reported missing four days earlier.

Tamieka's death brings back memories of other children who have been brutally murdered.

The dead include Ananda Dean, whose decomposed body was found last September, also days after she went missing.

It is heart-wrenching to know that our children are not safe.

Talk about digging oneself into a deep hole. The attacks on children are also an attack on our future, which is already being marred by a combination of issues - crime, unemployment, corruption - so the next 20 years do not project an appealing picture.

We can only take so much and no more, and some drastic steps need to be taken towards putting an end to these barbaric killings.

We, as proud citizens of this country, have the responsibility of protecting each other, a job we are currently failing at.

However, let us start anew and try to uplift Jamaicans from the deep, dark hole which we have placed ourselves. Do it for the children.