Police under probe! - Disturbing case involving grade one boy, mother, takes twist

The incident involving a seven-year-old boy, who was the victim of an assault at his school in Trelawny, last week, and the subsequent arrest of his mother, sparking national outraged, has taken a twist.

The boy was reportedly held down by other students who inserted a piece of stick into his rectum. Initial reports of the incident suggest that personnel from the Clarks Town police arrested the mother because of "disrespect" shown in her attitude when she sought justice at the station for her seven-year old.

Court's instructions

However, The Gleaner yesterday learnt that the instructions to have the mother placed under arrest came from a nearby court after the behaviour of the mother caused a disturbance while the court was in session, incensing the presiding judge.

But the police in question have not been let off the hook as the divisional commander is probing whether the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) protocol was breached by the officer who was on duty for initially failing to take a statement from the mother, who was in distress at the time.

"When she went to the station, my understanding is that because she is a frequent customer there, in terms of making frequent reports at the police station, the policeman who was attending to her asked that she take a seat.

"The mother apparently got impatient and irate and used indecent language in the precincts of the police station and the sergeant," Trelawny's Divisional Commander Dwight Powell explained yesterday, adding that the mother was charged with disorderly conduct, and no statement was taken.

He admitted that the mother's frequent visits to the police station should not have influenced the officer's appreciation for the statement she wanted to make.

Powell said that if breach of the JCF protocol comes out in the probe, which is being conducted by a senior officer, then "appropriate actions will follow".

... Police, CDA investigating incident

Yesterday, representatives of several agencies of Government, including the Child Development Agency (CDA), visited Trelawny to advance investigations into the circumstances that led to the assault of a seven-year old student at school.

Trewlany's Divisional Commander Dwight Powell told The Gleaner that although the matter involved minors and the CDA may take the lead investigative role, he had dispatched senior members of his team to the school to assist with the restoration of normalcy at the institution.

"These are minors, and what we are doing at present is to find out if there is anything that we (the police) will have to treat with," the senior cop said.

Powell said that what happened to the boy was an unfortunate incident, arguing that it may have been the result of other cultures being imported into the Jamaican society.