Mother calls for justice after relative assaults little boys

…suffer broken teeth, bodily injuries

Two boys are now severely injured after a relative who resides on the property they reside on at Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara allegedly abused them physically until they required medical attention.
This incident reportedly occurred on Monday, December 26, and Cristina Chester told Guyana Times on Tuesday that the incident involved her son and nephew, and the alleged abuser is a close relative.

She explained that she had invited her nephew, who resides in Essequibo, to spend the holidays with her; and on the day in question, she had gone to visit her stepmother in the hospital while the boys were left at home. When she returned at about 15:00h, the children were crying. Her nephew, aged nine, had suffered two avulsed teeth and other injuries; while her son, aged 11, was nursing head injuries.
Based on information received, she said, the suspect was complaining that the children were making noise in the yard, so he armed himself with a leather belt and dealt the children several blows.
Kaminie Seemangal, a relative of Cristina Chester, explained, “Apparently, the man probably told them not to keep noise and they were (still making noise), so he took a leather belt and kept hitting them all the time. He didn’t stop, although they were screaming.”
Cristina told this publication that she took the children to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were treated and discharged; and after a report was filed at the Beterverwagting Police Station, the suspect was arrested, but was released hours later.
Young mother Cristina Chester is calling on the authorities to step in and serve her justice, given the gravity of the injuries the children had sustained. She noted that they are having a “royal” runaround when enquiries are made about the investigation.
Her relative Kamini Seemangal has added, “The Police came and arrested him, but he came home at 03:00h this morning (Tuesday). The doctors have said that the Police have to go and uplift the medical, but the Police said they will go until January 03. I just want them (the children) to get some justice.”
Kamini also plans to move out of the house, which she shares with the alleged abuser.
Reports of child abuse have been reported across the country, and have been highly condemned by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry. A report compiled by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) showed that, in 2020, a whopping 3,129 children in Guyana faced some type of abuse. By the first quarter of 2021, some 635 girls and 404 boys had been abused, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud had disclosed. (G12)