A 37-year-old man was charged with child cruelty when his step son was injured after he was beaten with a PVC pipe. He gave himself up to the police more than a week after the Child Protection Unit (CPU) charged the mother of the 16 year old victim with willful neglect and child cruelty.

The man, who is a self-employed mechanic, surrendered to the Eastern Division CPU on Tuesday, with his attorney, in response to an arrest warrant that was issued in relation to a report of alleged child abuse to the 16-year-old boy on May 27th. His common-law wife, was arrested and charged on June 8th, and appeared before a Sangre Grande Magistrate where she answered to the charge of willful neglect and assault of a child. The mother was granted bail by a Justice of Peace and the matter was postponed to July 17th, 2020.

The Police report claims the teenage victim had been subjected to abuse for some time, allegedly at the hands of his mother and stepfather.  Further inquiries suggested that the man went to the family home, took a piece of PVC pipe and dealt the victim several blows about his body, causing several swellings, cuts, and bruises to his left hand and left rib cage area. The male accused reportedly left the home thereafter. The victim was then seen lying on a mat outside of the apartment which was reported to police.

CPU Officers, with the assistance of the Children’s Authority, immediately intervened, removing the child from the home and placed him in the care of another relative.