A 37-year-old mother will appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate on Tuesday, to answer to charges of wilfully neglecting and assaulting her 16-year-old autistic son.

The woman was arrested on Monday, five days after neighbors called in officers of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in the Eastern Division, to report they had seen the boy laying on a mat outside of the family’s apartment.

Officers were told the woman and her partner- the boy’s stepfather- had been habitually abusing him.

An immediate visit was made to the home and CPU officers removed the child, placing him in the care of another relative.

Police are now actively searching for the boy’s stepfather, a 37-year-old self-employed mechanic.

The man has since fled the apartment and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The Child Protection Unit thanked members of the public for seeing something and saying something in this instance and says protecting the nation’s children must be a priority.

The TTPS asks that should you have information that can lead to the arrest of the male suspect, please contact the CPU Eastern Division at 668-2939.