Child abuse couple still in custody

The 32-year-old man and his Jamaica-born common-law wife, 21, of Hutton Street, St Joseph who were arrested in Vistabella, remain detained at the Maloney Police Station .

They continue to be interrogated in connection with a viral video on social media, showing a toddler being beaten for refusing to drink a bottle of milk .

The video went viral on Wednesday - no sooner were they identified, and with threats of police action, to be taken against them for assaulting the child. It was reported that the man and woman fled their home in St Joseph and sought refuge at a friend’s apartment located at Manjack Street, Vistabella. .

The video caused outrage from members of the public across the country - someone in the Vistabella neighbourhood spotted them, and reported their suspicions to the police. It was reported that on Thursday, from as early as 6 am, in an exercise co-ordinated by Snr .

Supt. Irwin Hackshaw, and led by Insp. Don Gajadhar along with PCs Bacchus, Snaggs, Harrypersad, Rampersad, Ali, Goddard took up surveillance in the vicinity where they were last seen .

It was not until some seven hours later that the couple with their bags packed were spotted by the officers attempting to leave the apartment, said to be located on the second floor of the building. The apartment was surrounded and the couple arrested and taken to San Fernando CID where they were questioned before being handed over to the Child Protection Unit late Thursday night.. PC Goddard was the arresting officer .

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, a senior officer said: “Our work is finished at this end, and we have handed them over to the child protection unit, who will take it from there.” Head of Southern Division ACP Cecil Santana commended the officers for their efforts in successfully locating the couple, who according to reports, were planning to skip the country. The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago condemned the assault