Parents of 8, held for child neglect

A 55-year-old man and his 25-year-old wife were arrested after neighbours complained to the police that the couple was ill-treating the children.

The six boys and two girls who are between the ages of 11 months and nine years, have since been placed in a children’s home pending the outcome of the matter.

It is alleged that around noon on Wednesday, a party of Couva police officers led by Inspector Norbert Sookram were accompanied by social workers as they visited the home in Exchange Lots, Couva. There they rescued the children.

Police sources said the children were seen playing in front of the house. The older children were allegedly dressed in filthy clothing while the younger ones were naked.

The children’s mother was inside the house asleep and her husband was said to be at work. The couple were detained at the station yesterday. Officers were late yesterday awaiting instructions from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson on what type of criminal charge (if any) should be laid against the couple.

This is the second incident of alleged child neglect that police have been called out to investigate within the month. And in an ironic twist, the first incident occurred in Couva.

On April 5, Couva father Vishnu Singh abandoned his two sons — aged eight and nine — who were found at a bar. In his court appearance earlier this week, Singh who is also a grandfather, threw himself at the mercy of the Couva magistrates court as he begged for leniency after changing his “not-guilty” plea to that of “guilty”.

Singh is expected to know what punishment the court will impose when the case is called on Monday. Singh’s neighbours are also facing child abandonment charges, to which they have maintained their innocence.