...Granny wants full custody

Speaking at her home in San Fernando yesterday — the same day her daughter-in-law appeared in court charged for stabbing her granddaughter — Evelyn said she does not want young Aaliyah to stay with anyone else but her.

Taking care of the Standard Two pupil of the San Fernando Anglican Primary School is nothing new to her, Evelyn said.

“I will take care of her. I mind Aaliyah since she in pampers.

“I want her to live comfortably and to move on from this traumatic time in her life. She has always been with me,” Evelyn said.

Evelyn is the only blood relative of Aaliyah whom doctors and police have allowed to visit and stay with the child at Ward 5 of the San Fernando General Hospital where she remains warded in critical but stable condition.

“If I leave her bedside for a few minutes, she calls out for me. “Since she has been in hospital, I have been at her bedside.

“I sleep on a chair. I live alone and Aaliyah is no problem for me,” Evelyn said, adding she has experience with children being a mother of seven and grandmother of six.

Describing Aaliyah as a quiet and obedient child, Evelyn called on the authorities to provide psychological counselling to help the child move on from this traumatic experience.

“She still gets nightmares,” Evelyn said.

“I too will make sure that she gets help. She is a nice child.

“I want her to be safe. The father also asked me to take care of her. If I have to go to court to get her, I will do so,” Evelyn added.

On Sunday night a doctor told Newsday that the prognosis for a full recovery is good and once social workers “sort out” certain issues, Aaliyah will be discharged.

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"…Granny wants full custody"

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