Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Editorial: Police failing in their duty to a child

I am really annoyed and disgusted with the police handling of the case of a sexually abused child who was the victim of a 25-year old man whom the police have so far refused to arrest.

Their only comment, based on a newspaper report, is that the investigation is at a "delicate stage". 

The newspaper report on this story is cut and dried. The man in question is known to the family and the police; he's is the boyfriend of the child's older sister. 

The reports quote the child, who is 12-years old and five months pregnant, as saying the rape happened at the man's home and that he threatened to kill her if she told anyone. She, out of fear from this beast and bully, remained quiet and told no one until the evidence of her pregnancy started to show. It was then that the child's mother went to a doctor who confirmed the pregnancy, subsequent to which the family made a report to police.
“He tell me don’t say anything. He said we will both get in trouble and my mother will put me out if she finds out. He said my mother will beat me in front of everybody,” the child told an Express reporter who visited her.

So far all I am hearing is that there are plans for the baby to be adopted when she/he is born and that a state agency is offering counselling for the child who is obviously depressed and still very frightened about all that has happened. And I have read some comments online suggesting that the Prime Minister is to blame for this. 

The question I have been asking since I first read this story is why that man is still free? What do the police need again to go and arrest him? What about this investigation is so "delicate" that the police can't talk about it.

The child's mother is asking the same question in today's report in the Trinidad Express and she has every right to do so.

Who is this man?

The case is simple. The most important witness is this case is providing a statement that accuses the man of raping her. She is pregnant, which means she had had an sexual encounter with a man. Her pregnancy affords the ideal opportunity for DNA testing to determine the guilt of innocence of the man but for now there is enough evidence to arrest and charge this man for this heinous crime against a child.
And the question I ask this morning is why are the police not doing their job. Why are they afraid to touch this man? Has he threatened them as well? I hear no one asking these questions.
No amount of government vigilance can prevent crimes such as this one from happening. These sad tales happen inside homes with the victims helpless and terrified. Just recently another man went to court on a charge of raping his 10-year old sister and "committing an act if indecency" to his mother. And there are many more happening that we would never hear about.
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams must ask the officers investigating this case to explain why they are sleeping on the job and why, with clear evidence staring them in their faces, they have refused to arrest and charge this 25-year old man. If they cannot provide a satisfactory explanation then they don't deserve to be police officers. 
Police are supposed to protect and serve. In this case it would appear that the victim is not the one who is getting protection and service from the law enforcement officers. And the most tragic thing is that nobody is doing anything about it and the beast remains free to attack another unsuspecting victim.

This must stop. Please Commissioner Williams, do something!
 

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai