After the Children’s Authority was condemned for putting an abused eight year old in the care of a relative who could not attend to her needs, the child has now been moved to a safe house.
The child was rescued from her seaside home which she shared with her grandmother and uncle on Thursday evening by the Children’s Authority after she admitted to being sexually molested over the past year. An 18-year-old woman who complained about physical abuse was also removed from the house.
Medical examinations confirmed the eight year old was sexually molested and police are now searching for the suspect.
A team from the authority went to the house on Thursday and removed the child when the T&T Guardian exclusively highlighted her plight.
An anonymous informant reported alleged abuse of the child to the authority since January 14, but it was only on Thursday that they visited the house.
After learning that the child was placed in a safe house yesterday, the child’s grandmother called on the authorities to return the child to her.
In an interview with the Sunday Guardian, the 68-year-old woman wept, saying she cannot imagine what would have led the child to keep such a secret from her.
“I used to ask her all the time, if he (suspect) touching her or interfering with her because I know he had a case for something like that a while aback with another relative. But she always saying no, he never do anything,” the woman said.
The woman said she took care of the child since she was a day old. “I used to buy things for she with my pension, making sure she always have food and clothes and shoes for school. She is a child like to eat and I always used to keep snacks in the house for her. I don’t know if I will ever get her back. They (police) told me to pack up her clothes and things and they would come for it but no one has come yet.”
She said she was concerned that the child may face an even worse fate if she is placed in a children’s home or in foster care. “Now I know I could do better for her, but I don’t know what will happen to she if they put she in a home...she used to sleep on my bed every night even though she have her own room and bed. I don’t know how I going to cope without this child.”
The grandmother said the man suspected of abusing the child was a family friend who would visit the house twice a week “just to check in”.’
But a source close to the family is alleging the child may have been abused by more than one person.
The source said that in addition to the man pinpointed by the child’s grandmother, a male relative was also abusing the child.
The Sunday Guardian contacted the Child Protection Unit but were told they could not release any information on whether the suspect was held. However, a reliable source told the Sunday Guardian the man was seen liming in the area on Friday night and visited the house yesterday morning.
AL-RAWI DEFENDS CHILDREN’S AUTHORITY
Speaking to the media at the launch of the Local Government clean-up campaign in San Fernando yesterday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said he found it difficult to believe the Children’s Authority had a report of abuse since January without acting on it.
“Well, I would find it very unlikely that the Children’s Authority would be aware of something and not deal with it.
“And let me tell you why I would say that—firstly, I don’t know the facts of the issue, secondly I am always very cautious to accept stories like that without a proper investigation,” Al-Rawi said.
He also defended the authority, saying a more diligent team could not be found.
He said that no type of abuse must be tolerated.