17 days later, drowned boy’s father still in jail

Henry, father of fiveyear- old Josiah Henry, who drowned in a drain outside his Belmont home after heavy rainfall two weeks ago, has been unable to access bail for the last 17 days, after he was granted bail by Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John.

Henry was granted bail in the sum of $75,000 on charges of wilfully neglecting the boy and his seven-yearold sister. In a statement yesterday, Feeles said Henry was unable to secure bail due to a “terrible blunder” made by the court.

“For the past ten days, the family has been back and forth from the Port-of-Spain Prison to the magistrates’ court, in an attempt to have the court rectify and resend the warrant with the accurate bail conditions to the prison,” Feeles said.

“This father is still grieving and is in the need of the support of his family and loved ones. He is yet to see his son’s grave and we are calling on the Portof- Spain Magistrates’ Court to get their act together and do the necessary to assist Mr Henry’s family when they return to secure his bail,” Feeles implored.

Henry’s family again went to the court and up to late yesterday, they were waiting on the necessary corrected documentation to be sent to the prisons.

Henry’s arrest was criticised by MP for Laventille West, Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, who described the police’s actions as insensitive and said a softer approach should have been taken with the grieving father.

The charges against the father, who had gone to work when his son fell into a drain at his Serraneau Road, Belmont, home, are that Henry wilfully neglected the boy which caused him injuries resulting in his death and that he also wilfully neglected his daughter Christine Gray in a manner causing her to suffer injuries to her physical and mental health.

Henry will next appear in court on October 5.