BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A Basseterre resident has alleged that the owner of a private Day Care Center on Fiennes Avenue in Irish Town had physically abused her nine-month-old daughter and she is seeking justice.
Speaking with this publication, the mother said on Monday (Mar. 10) when she had enrolled her daughter at the Day Care Center, she observed that the entity had four car seats within which children would be placed and strapped.
“On the Tuesday when I visited the Day Care to collect my daughter, I saw she had her in one of the car seats and I told her not to put back Brianna in there because she is accustomed to move around, and if she put her in there she would keep crying and wouldn’t stop,” the mother said.
The mother claimed that on the following day after she collected her daughter and took her home, she observed both of the nine-month-old child’s hands were swollen and also her right instep.
“Wednesday I go to collect Brianna about 3:00 p.m. from the babysitter at the Day Care. When I get home I put her to sit down in a chair…and like 10 minutes after I come and I sit in a chair next to her. I was cutting up some vegetables and I noticed she stretched she hand and I realised both hands swell. So I start checking and I realised her right instep also swell. So I put down what I was doing and I went back to the woman.
“I asked her what happen to Brianna hand, because they swell up, and I show she. I said, ‘She fall down?’ She said no. I said, ‘Something bite her?’ She said no. I said, ‘Then what happen? She said nothing, and I said, ‘But look there swell!’ She looked at the child hand and she ask me: ‘They don’t look swell, they look swell to you?’ I said, ‘Okay, I am not asking you if they swell, I am telling you that they swell.’ She said nothing happened. I said okay and then I left.”
The young mother stated that she took the child to the Joseph N. France General Hospital to find out what had caused the swellings.
“I went to the hospital, I see the doctor and the doctor examined she hand and said there is signs of abuse…the child was abused. But they still go further and they do an X-ray. When they take the X-ray and the results come back they said yes, their suspicion has been confirmed…the child was abused. They say let we go to the station and make a report and come back. So when she say so I said, ‘Police?’ She said yes, if you don’t go the Welfare is going to contact you. When she say that I didn’t had no more choice but go to the station.”
She also stated that a report was made at the Basseterre Police Station, where a female officer gave her a Medical Form and advised she return to the hospital and get it signed.
“I make the report. The police also see the child hand and the officer tell me that don’t wait till tomorrow because the doctor’s shift was going to end at 9 O’clock the night. I reached at the station after seven. The officer said let we hustle back right now to the hospital, get it signed and come back, as she want to deal with the matter urgently.
“So I went back to the hospital, get it signed from the doctor and I go back to the station. They say okay that we going to get in contact. The night the officer call and say she name is Officer Powell and she and the Welfare will be working on the matter. The next day she call me and said that the Welfare get a copy of the report and so I should listen out for a call. From since then to now I got no call from the Welfare. But the Friday, maybe, I assume that the Welfare or the police contacted her but the mother come here about three something while I was sitting on the step and say thanks to you she daughter can’t look after children no more and If I feel nice that I tek bread out of she daughter mouth, and if anybody look they could see nothing wrong with the child. So I said, ‘The child hand swell!’ I said if you look good you are going to see or if you want you can see the picture. She walked away and said, ‘If so be the case you could have looked for me and I would give you money to go to the doctor.’ The last thing I could remember she saying is that remember that you owe she for couple days. So I said, ‘Yes, I am going to pay she she money right now and she better get a receipt ready.”
In an effort to get the owner of the Day Care Center side of the issue, SKNVibes tried on numerous occasions to make contact with her but they were all futile.
Yesterday (Mar. 17), this writer visited the Probation and Child Protective Services on Victoria Road and was rudely dismissed by an uncouth young female employee.
After entering the building that houses the Probation and Child Protective Services, this writer enquired from the male receptionist if he could speak to someone from the Welfare Department concerning a matter of abuse.
The receptionist, by telephone, spoke to someone in the rear of the building who assured him that they would have made their way to the front desk. But after waiting for more that 12-15 minutes and no one showed up, this writer approached the receptionist and asked if he could again summon one of the Welfare Officers.
This he did, and a young woman emerged from the rear, indicated that she would speak with this writer and offered a chair in a small office.
While seated, this writer spoke to the alleged abuse, identified himself and enquired if a report were made and at what stage was the investigation.
The young employee said she has nothing to say on the matter and that information should be gleaned from the mother of the child and not from her place of employ. This writer then reminded her that the media are the people’s watchdog and when an issue of such nature raises its ugly head the public must be informed.
She immediately got out of the chair in which she was seated and in a rude manner said, “It has nothing to do with you and the public.”
This writer left the building and was advised to contact the Director of Social Services, Ms. Azilla Clarke.
Later in the evening contact was made with Ms. Clarke, who apologised for the young employee’s behaviour and indicated that that particular matter would be addressed. She however advised that this writer contact Ms. Debra Matthew on the alleged abuse issue.
Shortly before press time, Ms. Matthew was contacted and she indicated that they are aware of the issue, and that the police and her department are conducting investigations.
This was confirmed by the mother of the child, who informed this media house that someone from the Probation and Child Protective Services told her this morning that she is required to visit the office tomorrow.
