Six-year-old left alone on the road

A 30-YEAR-OLD South Trinidad man was arrested by police and charged with abandonment after he allegedly left his six-year-old female relative on the roadside while he and other family members were returning home from the beach on Carnival Monday. Police said the incident occurred at Buenos Ayres Road around 6 pm while the man, his common-law- wife and the toddler were driving home from Granville beach where they had spent the day.

According to police reports, three relatives were seated in the car with the man who was sitting in the driver’s seat, when a heated exchange erupted between the suspect and his common-law-wife. During the argument, the driver stopped the car and ordered the six-year-old child to get out of the car. When she meekly complied, the man then sped off, leaving the child standing at the roadside. Police said the girl remained alone on the Erin Main Road until 6.48 pm when a woman — Paulie Ragoo — who was travelling in a taxi noticed the crying toddler walking along the road by herself.

Ragoo told the taxi driver to stop and she came out the vehicle and questioned the child. Ragoo took the girl to the Erin Police Station and filed a report. Police later went in search of the suspect, who was found at his home at Arena Road. The 30-year-old suspect was taken to the police station for questioning.  PC Ganess subsequently laid the charge of child abandonment and the suspect is expected to be taken before a Siparia Magistrate today.