SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – A 13 month-old baby is dead today after being hit in the head by a stone allegedly thrown by a man who the police believe also attempted to rape the child's mother.

Police identified the baby as Shana-Kay Robinson of Armstrong District in Balaclava, north-east St Elizabeth.

The alleged attacker, 25-year-old Donar Angell, was caught and beaten by angry residents before being rescued by police who took him to hospital where he was undergoing treatment this afternoon under police guard.

Police reports are that the baby’s mother, 29 year-old Stephanie Morris Robinson, was walking along the Balaclava main road at about 9:30 am when she was attacked by a man who threw stones at her.

A police spokesman told the Observer that one stone - thrown so hard that it hit the 'baby out of the mother's hand' - connected on the left side of the infant's head, 'exposing the brain'.

The attacker allegedly chased and held on to the mother and in an apparent attempt to rape her, tore off her clothes. The woman managed to escape and made an alarm.

Residents returned with her to the scene and rushed baby Shana-Kay to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

A search party formed by citizens cornered Angell and were in the process of beating him when he was rescued by police. A police spokesman said today that he was likely to be charged for murder.