Couple charged for burning boy, 6

A man and woman appeared before a Justice of the Peace in the Arima Magistrates’ Court yesterday, charged with causing grievous bodily harm to the woman’s six-year-old son who was forced to put his right hand over a lighted stove because he came home with dirty clothes.

Nadine John, 23, who works at a chicken processing plant and her common-law husband Collins Stephen, 32, a chef, appeared before Justice of the Peace Maharaj. JP Maharaj later ordered that the couple, who live in the Heights of Arima, be remanded into custody to reappear before an Arima, magistrate this morning. John and Stephen are jointly charged with causing grievous bodily harm to little Joshua McKenzie on April 5. John is the mother of the victim while Stephen is his step-father. After investigations carried out by PC Sheldon Sylvester of Arima CID, John and Stephen were arrested on Tuesday and formally charged. Attorneys Lal Krishna Doodnath and Albert Edwards are representing John and Stephen respectively.

Meanwhile, McKenzie who suffered third degree burns to his right hand, remains at the Paediatric Section of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope. Medical sources told Newsday that McKenzie was being kept at the EWMSC for observation to see if his wounds heal naturally or if he would need surgery which could include a skin-graft operation, using skin and other tissue from other parts of his body to replace the burnt out skin on his right hand. As the couple was being led to the court-house they hid their faces from news photographers. They are scheduled to reappear at the Arima Magistrates’ Court today.