Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
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Parents reportedly abandon young children during Mash “jump-up”
Two parents of Friendship Backlands, East Coast Demerara who abandoned their children at the Kitty Seawalls during the city’s Mashramani celebrations are now being prosecuted on four counts of neglect of child.
Accused Father:
Curtis Changa
Marcia Adams and Curtis Changa were jointly charged after their nine, seven, four and three-year-old children were rescued a little after midnight by public spirited citizens who found the little brood wandering alone on the seawalls.
The mother and father appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday. They pleaded not guilty and were each placed on $50,000 bail.
The court heard that on February 23, at the Kitty Seawalls, the parents of the four children, neglected them in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or danger to their health.
Inspector Michael Grant the prosecutor, said that public spirited citizens saw the children who were seen wandering on the seawalls after midnight, and decided to approach them.
According to Grant, when questioned the children stated that their parents “just take them and left them there.”
As a result, the matter was reported to the Kitty Police Station who called in Child Protection Agency (CPA). Following investigations, Changa and Adams were contacted and subsequently arrested and charged.
The State Prosecutor told the court that the children have since been in the care of CPA which is continuing its investigation.
Grant beseeched the court to consider what could have happened to those children had there not been proper intervention. He objected to bail too stating that the serious nature and the penalty attached to the offence were sufficient grounds for their pre-trial liberty to be denied.
The two who were unrepresented by legal counsel stood quietly with their shoulders slumped during the short court proceeding. Adams and Changa spoke only to confirm details of their particulars and did not make a bail application.
The father indicated that he works with a Ministry of Agriculture Drainage and Irrigation project and was previously charged for the possession of marijuana but never convicted.
On the other hand, the mother who claimed that she is a sanitary worker stood beside her partner outside of the prisoners’ docks and appeared confused about her home address.
Adams initially stated that she lived at Vigilance, East Coast Demerara but when questioned she had difficulty with verifying her address. The court heard that she had provided the police with a Friendship, East Coast Demerara address.
Their case was transferred to Magistrate Faith McGusty for trial.
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