Father caught in viral video beating child apologises… Police to counsel him as child ruled to be not in danger

Days after a video surfaced on social media in which a father was seen angrily scolding and beating a young girl who was screaming and crying, officers from the T&T Police Service’s Special Victims Department (SVD) have intervened in the matter and are assisting the fractured family.

Confirming that the unit had been investigating the matter since the video was posted online on Monday, a senior officer yesterday confirmed, “The alleged offender was spoken to about the manner in which he disciplined his daughter.”

In the video, which has since gone viral, the man can be seen aggressively tugging at the seven-year-old girl as he beats her with what was identified as a cell phone charger cord. He can also be heard using abusive language towards the child, as he scolded her for not listening to him.

Speaking to Guardian media yesterday, the senior officer revealed that the girl’s 53-year-old relative, “stated that he is sorry for what he did and he will never beat her again.”

SVD officials said following extensive investigations, a decision was taken not to remove the Standard One pupil from the home, as they were able to confirm, “she was not in any danger.”

Officials also revealed, “He requested assistance in dealing with his daughter, as she is in the habit of lying and being rude to her grandmother.”

While the man admitted to not having a “good relationship” with the 33-year-old male relative who recorded the incident and subsequently posted it online, officers heard that the girl sleeps with her 72-year-old grandmother, who also lives at the La Brea home.

Guardian Media was told the girl was being disciplined for throwing away her lunch and then lying about it when she was confronted by her father, who is a single parent and is currently unemployed.

The girl’s mother was said to have left the house when she was 18-months-old and has not returned since.

Officers said the decision to leave the girl in the home was based on the fact that, “no marks of violence were observed on the child, and she appeared to be happy, well-fed, clean, and in good health.”

Statements were recorded from the victim, the grandmother, the girl’s father and the male relative who filmed the beating.

In a release yesterday, the Children’s Authority strongly condemned the man’s actions. It said once the video came to its attention, its Emergency Response Team was activated and the TTPS was immediately contacted.

In thanking the public for bringing attention to the incident, the authority’s CEO Sheldon Cyrus said, “Our team is conducting a full investigation into the incident and the circumstances surrounding it. The investigation includes engaging the family and members of the community, and this is being conducted in conjunction with the police.”

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