A mother of three has been arrested after she was caught on camera physically and verbally abusing two children, ages 3 and 9, in San Juan.
All the children were also removed from the house and are now in the care of the Children’s Authority.
This was confirmed yesterday by the Head of the Special Victims Unit Supt Claire Guy-Alleyne, hours after the three-minute, 11-second video surfaced on social media.
She said her unit responded along with the Children’s Authority in a joint effort and was able to remove three children from the Hunt Road house.
Guy-Alleyne confirmed that they were all taken for medical treatment and discharged to the care of the Children’s Authority.
In the video, the woman was seen arguing with a group of people who were recording her after she placed one of the children, a three-year-old girl, on the ground.
“Is wicked you wicked,” someone behind the camera shouted at the woman.
The woman then gave the toddler to an older girl, age 9, sitting on some steps not too far away. Not too long after, the woman pulled the three-year-old away from the girl, placing the toddler on the ground again.
“This is my child let go she,” the woman said.
The recording showed the woman physically abusing the nine-year-old girl, who started to scream. She was heard telling the girl that they were evicted and had nowhere to sleep.
The woman continued to argue with the people behind the camera and then walked across to two girls and physically assaulted them again, as they cried out.
This was where onlookers intervened and rescued the children.
In a press release, the TTPS explained that when they got to the Hunt Road location, acting Sergeant Farrell and the police contingent, in conjunction with the Children’s Authority, conducted inquiries and spoke with several witnesses.
The police said the woman was located and immediately arrested. She was then taken to the Barataria Police Station.
The children were interviewed, taken for medical treatment and placed in the care of the Children’s Authority.
Police: Child abuse cases climb
Speaking on CNC3’s The Morning Brew yesterday, the TTPS’ media ambassador, acting ASP Rajesh Lal, revealed that there was a 24 per cent increase in child abuse reports.
He said in 2022 there were 387 reports and last year 481. Reports of sexual touching also rose from 164 in 2022 to 252 last year.
Only last week, a close female relative of a two-year-old boy was charged with child cruelty after she was recorded kicking the toddler to the ground.
That woman was sent to St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for observation and will return to court on April 18.
Child Psychologist Sarah Subhan, of Family Tree Psychological Services, told Guardian Media yesterday that children who experience this type of violence or abuse may be impacted emotionally and behaviourally.
“Oftentimes, we find that children experience nightmares, lack of appetite, body pains and feelings such as confusion, anger and sadness,” she explained.
Both Subhan and acting ASP Lal encouraged citizens to continue to look out for the children in their communities and recognise that people are dealing with a lot of distress and intervention may be needed.
To report any form of child abuse, call Ministry of Social Development and Family Services at 800-1673; National Family Services Division at 623-2608 or 670-6711; Association of psychologists 717-8827 and Ministry of Education’s Social Support Services 724-1010.