The Abercrombie Police Station, St. Croix was alerted on the evening of Friday, April 29 to the presence of five unsupervised children at their home on Desbouchers Street, Roche-Bois. Immediately a team of police officers led by Sgt. Forod went to the scene. When they arrived on the scene, they could hear crying coming from the house, which was not lit. They were all on a mattress on the floor. They are respectively 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9 years old. The oldest brother told the police, “mo mama aine kit nou ine al travay kan ti enkor fer cler”. The four brothers and their 4 year old sister were taken to Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, Port-Louis where they were admitted.
It is following a phone call that these police officers went to this address at around 9:35 pm on Friday evening, April 29. The team of sergeant Forod was accompanied by two police officers, including a policewoman from the Family Protection Brigade and police officers from the Emergercy Response Service (ERS).
Upon entering the house, these officers could hear children crying in the unlit house. This house is in an unsanitary condition. The five children are on a mattress on the floor in a room. No adult is present to ensure their supervision.
When asked about their parents, the 9-year-old boy explained “mo mama aine kit nou ine al travay kan ti enkor fer cler”. He had to confide in these police officers that his one year old brother and his four year old sister are from another father. They live alone with their mother in this house.
The police officers tried to find their mother, but in vain. The five children were picked up by the police and taken to the Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital in Port-Louis where they were admitted to the ward. The Child Development Unit of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare will initiate the procedures for obtaining an Emergency Protection Order in court.
