The Child Protection and Family Services Agency and the police are probing an incident in which a mother was seen in a video violently beating her child with a belt and repeatedly threatening to kill her.
The child appears to be about four years old.
In the video which is just over six minutes long, a male was heard detailing how the child was misbehaving in class as the mother spanked the child in a bedroom.
When the mother took a break from beating the child, she poked and pinched her and also slapped her in the face telling her that she must behave in school.
The woman told the child that she must ensure that she remains at the top of her class and so she should “stop keep company.”
The overwhelmed child lay flat on her back for most of the ordeal.
By now, an infant laying on the bed, started crying but that did not deter the mother who continued to punish the older child.
She also told the child that her father has not been supportive although only recently he made a financial contribution. As a result, the woman said the child had to do well in school as she had no help.
The woman said, a week earlier, she had to beat the child for the same reason and if she misbehaved again, she would use the belt buckle to hit her in her face.
In a statement issued Sunday afternoon, Chief Executive Officer of the CPFSA, Rosalee Gage-Grey said investigations have confirmed that the video is authentic and that it occurred sometime in September.
Mrs Gage-Grey says a team from the agency, with support from the Police Cyber Crimes Unit, is currently pursuing further leads in the community where the mother and child live.
The location has not been disclosed.
In the meantime, the CEO of the newly created CPFSA is reminding parents and guardians that any form of hurt inflicted on a child is considered child abuse.
She is, therefore, encouraging parents and guardians to use alternatives to corporal punishment when disciplining their children.
“Beating children has long-term effects and this should never be practised,” she advised in the statement.
There has been strong rebuke from the public to the mother seen in the video beating her young child and threatening to cut off her neck since it emerged on social media yesterday.
This latest video follows another similar one in October which showed a St Thomas mother violently beating her 12-year-old daughter with a machete.
That mother was subsequently arrested and charged and is now before the court.
Good morning Met, Matter, peepers and others, this one definitely supposed to go to jail, this little baby didn’t deserve this, how can you beat a 4 year old, because she goes to school and play, and tell her at this age not to keep friend and company. She the mother, needs a psychiatric evaluation asap. She is sick.
Sick animal!
a waa di father see her a beat out her claat worst than how she do the baby.
these disgusting pigs should never have kids!!! how disgusting
I hope the child can stay with another family member, and she goes to jail
Bloodclaat gal just mek mi BP elevated. I struggled to watch the entire video. Some man f**k her & lef her & she taking out her problems on the poor baby. She needs mental evaluation asap!!!! I feel every hit she put on that baby’s skin omg! this bitch needs to be tied up in ants nest. The baby has to play & talk to other kids its part of child development wtf is this coo coo bitch talking abt company??? I hope they also take the crying baby on the bed from her too. Unuh need fi stop f**k if unuh caan afford to care of y’all kids…damn disgusting johncrow.