Couple pleads guilty to cremating baby

A POINT Fortin magistrate yesterday ordered a psychiatric evaluation be carried out on a 70-year-old,  self-proclaimed spiritual healer and his 33-year-old wife. They both pleaded guilty to three criminal charges surrounding the illegal cremation of their 18-month-old daughter.

Lawrence Reid, self-proclaimed spiritual healer, and Sandra Simon Reid were remanded to St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital by second court Magistrate Rae Roopchand, before whom they appeared charged with conducting a cremation without a relevant license, performing a cremation within 100 yards of a dwelling house and disposing of human remains at a  place not so permitted. The incidents are believed to have  occurred between September 1 and 2. And although he pleaded guilty to all charges in court yesterday, Reid earlier maintained to police investigators that he had done nothing wrong in cremating his own child, after carrying out a religious ceremony on the corpse.

Reid, a slim-built man, entered the courthouse dressed in a disheveled state with his wild, yellowing dread-locks hairstyle and unkempt beard drawing stares from people, who gathered at the courthouse. His wife Sandra had a sullen expression on her face as she was led into the courtroom. Proceedings yesterday were delayed for some minutes following reports of a bomb threat at the courthouse. But when a search of the courthouse turned up nothing, the matter was called, with members of the public and media personnel being ordered out of the courtroom, without any proper reason. A few minutes later, the couple were led out of the court and towards a waiting police vehicle. Newsday was told by the court staff that when the three charges were read out in court, the couple kept silent. During the court proceeding, Magistrate Roopchand was reported to have enquired how both defendants were feeling. Court prosecutor acting Sgt Rohan Pardasie requested that both defendants be remanded to the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Magistrate Roopchand acceded to the prosecution’s request and remanded the couple to the mental hospital. The couple are to return to court on November 4, when Magistrate Roopchand is expected to make a ruling (since the couple pleaded guilty) as to what punishment will be meted out to them, after he (Magistrate Roopchand) peruses the psychiatric evaluation reports. The couple who live in a very small shack at Salazar Trace, Point Fortin were arrested last Friday, when neighbours reported that the youngest of their four children had mysteriously disappeared. Police visited the scene and seized a bag near a river which reportedly contained human remains. Investigators reported to the media that there was some form of “black magic” (obeah) involved in the ceremony prior to the child being cremated in a mud oven, near the couple’s shack. The remains were sent to the Forensic Science Centre for tests. Up to late yesterday, the cause of the child’s death had not been ascertained. The couple’s other malnourished children are now in the care of social workers and are being kept for treatment and observation at the San Fernando General Hospital.