Emily’s mom lashes out at media

ANITA ANAMANTHODO, the 18-year-old mother of murdered four-year-old Emily, lashed out yesterday at media photographers while she was being escorted to court. She did not hide her face as on previous occasions, but as she was photographed, Anamanthodo shouted: “All you kill me and done! All you will get all the pictures you want!”

Inside the San Fernando First Magistrates’ Court, Anamanthodo smiled and chatted with police as she sat on a bench waiting for the case to be called. Wearing a black hooded-jacket, over a cream top and jeans, Anamanthodo remained silent when deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington read the first three charges against her. The magistrate then read an additional two.

Anamanthodo had appeared before a justice of the peace on Thursday. She was denied bail and remanded into custody.

All charges alleged: “that you (Anamanthodo), a parent of Emily and while she was in your care, you wilfully neglected and abandoned her in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering and injury to her health.”

Anamanthodo was not called to make a plea to the charges which relate to incidents that occurred on unknown dates between June 2004 and May 2006. Wellington asked the young mother whether she had an attorney and she shook her head in the negative.

Court prosecutor Sgt Harricharan Cassie told the magistrate he was objecting to bail in order to have Anamanthodo traced. He explained that she was not traced before because there was a malfunction with the police computers.

He further submitted that in light of the prevalence of such offences in the society, he wanted to have Anamanthodo traced to verify her lifestyle and address. Wellington remanded her into custody until May 29. On that same day, Anamanthodo’s common-law husband Marlon King, who is charged with the murder of Emily, will also reappear in court.