Baby Cecelia now in care of Children’s Authority

For the first three weeks of her life, the baby girl, born to Crystal Dennis, remained under the care of nurses and social services workers at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital.

Even though she was medically discharged, from the hospital about one week ago, the Authority had to wait until the child was discharged, and referred to them before they received her into their care, should that be the recommendation of the Medical Social Work Department of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.

In an email response to Newsday query on the well being of the baby, public education and communications manager of CA, Cheryl Moses-Williams, said the matter was officially referred to the CA. “We are treating with the issue with the sensitivity and confidentiality which it requires,” she said. The baby’s mother had been on her way to seek transportation to get to the hospital when she was overcome with labour contractions, and gave birth on the sidewalk, with the assistance of passers-by.

Baby Cecelia’s welfare has been an issue since her parents, Dennis, and Anthony Abraham, did not have a proper and safe environment for the child. The broken down shed where they lived on a riverbank behind Bangladesh, in Curepe, has been deemed unfit to raise a child. There is no running water, or electricity.

While Dennis had been adamant that her child be given to her, Abraham felt that they were not able to provide for the infant, and had asked that the State step in to help. The couple has three other children who live with Abraham’s relatives.