Accused freed of Haslington toddler’s murder

The murder charge against Kevin Rankin was dismissed yesterday after a mixed twelve member jury

Freed: Kevin Rankin

declared him not guilty of killing  his two-year-old niece, Kamini Phillips. The verdict was unanimous.
The former accused threw both hands in air and yelled “yes” following the jury’s pronouncement. The freed man quickly exited the courthouse and raced along South Road with members of family in pursuit.
Rankin had faced weeks of trial for the gruesome murder of two year-old Phillips. The toddler was allegedly sodomised at Haslington, East Coast Demerara, (ECD) on October 21, 2013.
Initial reports had indicated that the child was left in the care of her then 16-year-old uncle (Rankin) when she passed away. According to reports, Diane Graham, the mother of the former accused had left him at a relative’s home with the toddler, while she conducted errands.
The woman returned sometime later and learnt of the baby’s demise. The child was initially taken to the CC Nicholson Health Centre at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, before she was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Following a summing up of the trial by Justice Priya Sewnarine–Beharry and hours of deliberation by the panel of jurors at the Georgetown High Court yesterday, Rankin called “Lil Man,” of  Haslington South, ECD, was declared a free man.
The case was presented by State Prosecutors Narissa Leander and Tuanna Hardy.  Rankin was represented by Defence Attorney Sandil Kissoon.
In his closing address, Kissoon had argued that the prosecution‘s case was flawed. The lawyer noted that no photographs of the home or alleged crime scene were produced to the court and the police never took any statements from eyewitnesses or neighbours. However, State Witness, Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, revealed that an autopsy carried out on the body of the two-year-old indicated that she had suffered sexual penetration to her anus.  He said that Phillips had fresh blood in her rectal area, in addition to abdominal trauma inclusive of internal bleeding to her liver and spleen.
According to Dr. Singh, the toddler also suffered concussions to the head and neck which are consistent with a hit or fall. He noted that the child could have been pressed down, which restricted her breathing and the flow of blood in her chest cavity.
Under cross examination by defence counsel, the doctor nonetheless admitted that the damage to the infant’s chest cavity could have been caused during administration of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) by an untrained individual.  Additionally, Rankin, while leading his defence, told the court that he had nothing to do with the death of his niece. He claimed that he did not harm her in any way, but that she was taken to a relative’s home to play when she became sick.
According to Rankin, the child complained about chest pains and became unresponsive. The accused said that the child was not breathing and his cousin, Kimani Primo, had administered CPR.