Sexually abused 5-year-old rescued from school yard

- Three in custody

Members of the Tuschen Policing Group came in for high praises recently after their efforts resulted in them rescuing a five year-old from the clutches of her alleged rapists. A male taxi driver and the child’s two female guardians have been arrested. According to reports, the policing group was notified at around 19:30hrs last Friday night that a child was left alone in the compound of the community’s primary school. Responding swiftly to complaints, a few of the group members rushed over to the school where they uplifted the child. “We tried to find out where she living and a lady living near the school gave us the direction, and said that a taxi does drop the child to school every day,” a member of the policing group told this newspaper. The man said that upon arriving at the home, they were greeted by a woman who identified herself as the child’s guardian. “She collected the child, but surprisingly, the lady didn’t even seem like she cared, so we started to question her (the guardian). She tell we that the child living with she almost six months now, because the mother gone to the interior to work.” The man told Kaieteur News that while standing in front of the woman’s door, one of the group members asked the child if she was okay, and after a brief pause, it was observed that the little girl was pointing to her private parts. “We had suspicions that something was wrong, and after confirming that, we didn’t allow the child to stay with the woman, we called in the police to look after the matter,” the man told Kaieteur News. He said that the police responded promptly, and the child was taken to Leonora Cottage Hospital, where a medical examination confirmed that the child was sexually assaulted. When questioned, the woman denied that the child was abused under her care, stating that the little girl has another guardian. “She said too that a taxi driver does take the child to and from school every day, so people can’t accuse her alone.” This publication was told that following the woman’s statement, another female guardian along with the male taxi driver was taken into police custody. Meanwhile, this newspaper learnt that following the arrests, the child indicated that she was being sexually abused by the son of one of her guardians. “The guardians denying it obviously, so the police got to continue with dey investigations.” After the intervention of Child Care Services, the abused child has been placed in the care of a teacher. Reflecting on the work of the policing group, the member said that the body was established many years ago, and that over the past six years, the group, comprising of 21 other persons, has been able to make a tremendous difference in the community. “We helped in many areas with many things, but I think this incident with this child really shocked a lot ah people. I got children, and like me so hurt fuh this child. Imagine, even the police ladies had tears in dem eyes when the child tell dem wah happened to her.”