A Wismar, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) man has been arrested following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media, showing his one-year-old daughter hanging by her neck from a bed sheet. The video, which quickly drew public outrage, led to a police investigation that resulted in the arrest of 33-year-old Kester Johnson.
Arrested: Kester Johnson
The incident reportedly occurred on the night of March 22, at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, where Johnson lives with his longtime partner, Sawdia Bobb, and their three children, ages three, two, and one.
Reports indicate that Johnson and Bobb have been in a relationship for ten years, but recent months have been marked by escalating domestic violence. In February 2025, Johnson allegedly slapped Bobb during an argument over a voice note, forcing her to leave their home and stay with a friend for several days.
The situation worsened on March 22, when another altercation broke out between the couple. Bobb, allegedly assaulted again, went to the Wismar Police Station and reported the abuse but did not provide a written statement. She told officers she would return to give a formal statement but never did.
On Tuesday, police received information about a troubling video showing Johnson’s one-year-old child being ill-treated.
Officers from the Wismar Police Station contacted Bobb, who initially denied knowledge of the video. However, upon further questioning, she admitted she had received the video from Johnson but deleted it to prevent others from seeing it because of the child’s age. At the officers’ request, she retrieved the video from the deleted files on her phone and showed it to them.
Preliminary investigations confirmed that Johnson had filmed the video himself before sending it to Bobb. Police swiftly took action, arresting Johnson and confiscating both Bobb’s and her mother’s phones for forensic analysis.
Johnson has since been charged with assault, with his court appearance scheduled for today. Additionally, a case is being prepared for child abuse charges related to the video.
