Baby suffers broken rib during attackRelative:

Senior Multimedia Reporter

radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

The grandfather of the baby who was brutally beaten and later rescued by police from a Claxton Bay home, is now demanding answers from the Children’s Authority.

He yesterday questioned why the child was removed from his care and sent to live with a relative on the Marabella Trainline, where she endured a vicious beating that left her with a broken rib, blue-blackened eyes, cuts on her hands, and a scorch mark on her leg from an iron. Three people are now in police custody, one of whom has said the baby was demon-possessed.

Speaking at his Claxton Bay home, the grandfather said he did his best to save the child. He explained that his daughter got pregnant at age 17 and despite filing a report of statutory rape, nothing was done by the police.

“The police say they cannot do anything after she turned 18. The baby’s father disowned her from birth,” he said.

The grandfather added that the baby had been living at his home but in August she fell and hurt her leg. Shortly after, he said social workers from the Child Protection Unit and the Children’s Authority transferred custody to another relative, and the baby was taken to live on the Marabella Trainline.

Weeks later, the family received reports that the child was being abused. On September 26, the grandfather said his daughter retrieved the baby and brought her back to their Claxton Bay home.

“When I saw my granddaughter, I started to cry. They tied her up and beat her. How could they do that to a one-year-old child?” he lamented.

He explained that the baby had a broken rib, cuts and bruises on her hands and face, and a burn mark on her leg from an iron.

“They went to the Couva police and reported it but the police did nothing. They said the Child Protection Unit had to handle it,” he added.

He said villagers, convinced the child was being abused, alerted the police, who eventually removed the baby from the house.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Mystar is urging the public to report incidents of abuse following the rescue of the baby on Thursday. Three people, including the child’s mother, are now assisting the police with investigations.

Mystar said a high percentage of homicides in the southern and central districts are linked to domestic violence and emphasised the importance of public intervention.

“Neighbours and members of the public, if you see something, say something. We are not interested in your identity. Don’t just say it’s a domestic issue. Seventy per cent of homicides are related to domestic violence, so if you see something, say something, and we will address this robustly and take action.”

Providing details of the baby’s rescue, Mystar said, “Around 5 pm on Wednesday, based on information, I led a team from the Child Protection Unit and Emergency Health Services to a location in Claxton Bay. I observed a one-year-old child with visible signs of physical violence. Emergency Health Services examined the child and determined that further medical evaluation was necessary.”

The police are continuing their investigations.

Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV) general manager Sabrina Mowlah-Baksh also yesterday expressed deep concern over domestic violence, particularly when it involves children.

“We engage regularly with children and young adults who face abuse without much support or intervention,” she said, calling for an investigation into reports that police dismissed a case as merely a domestic issue.

She emphasised the need for a comprehensive community response, adding state agencies cannot tackle the problem alone.

“We need sustained, consistent, and resourced actions by individuals, communities, and the state to eliminate this type of violence,” Mowlah-Baksh said.

Senior Supt Naim Gyan is investigating allegations that the Couva police failed to assist the baby’s relatives when they initially reported the matter.

Clinical therapist and forensic pathologist Hanif Benjamin also weighed in, saying, “We need to protect children and ensure that their rights are safeguarded. When children are abused, their mental health is affected, and this shows we are far from realizing true child protection.”

He called for a collaborative approach, urging, “Everyone must be their neighbour’s keeper.”

Children’s Authority responds

In a statement last night, the Children’s Authority said it is conducting joint investigations with the police into the incident involving the injuries sustained by the young child.

The authority said its investigation is psycho-social, while the police are conducting a criminal investigation into allegations of child abuse and maltreatment.

The authority confirmed that the child was removed because her safety was jeopardised.

“It is the legal mandate of the authority to investigate, examine and determine whether a child is in imminent danger and to take the necessary actions to ensure the child is removed from harm. It is based on this priority that the child was removed,” the authority explained.

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