Reporter
Carisa.lee@cnc3.co.tt
The woman seen kicking down a two-year-old child earlier this week in a video which was posted to social media, yesterday appeared before a Master of the High Court after she was charged with cruelty to a child.
Head of the T&T Police Service’s (TTPS) Special Victim’s Department, Superintendent Clair Guy-Alleyne, said the woman was remanded to the St Ann’s Hospital, where she will be monitored.
“She was remanded in custody at St Ann’s for a period of 14 days for observation and a report to be generated,” Guy-Alleyne said.
The woman is set to reappear before Master of the High Court Shabaana Sha on April 18.
Guy-Alleyne said the matter will be transferred to the Chaguanas Firsts Magistrate’s Court after the woman’s second appearance.
The video, which surfaced on social media on Tuesday, shows a woman screaming at a two-year-old boy to get up, before picking him up and then kicking him to the ground.
“Get up, get up,” she shouted at the two-year-old, who remained curled up on the floor after the attack.
A person off camera comments: “Is a little child you kicking dey. What you kicking the child for? You tripping off?”
Guy-Alleyne said she also asked the Children’s Authority to do a home assessment to ensure the woman did not have any other children in her custody and she did not.
The child, who was injured in the ordeal and taken for medical attention, has been placed in the custody of the Children’s Authority.
Director of the authority, Sheldon Cyrus, said the video was a stark reminder that too many of our nation’s children are experiencing abuse at the hands of their caregivers.
Meanwhile, in a media release issued on Wednesday, Minister responsible for Gender and Child Affairs, Ayanna Webster-Roy, said there is absolutely no excuse for any form of abuse of a child.
The public can report and seek support from the relevant authorities, including the National Family Services Division at 623-2608 (ext. 6701-6711) the Police Service (999), the Children’s Authority Hotline (996 or 800-2014), Childline 131 or 800-4321, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-save (7283).