– Advertisement –
A 12-year-old Hispanic girl was held in police custody at St John’s Police Station following an incident early Tuesday morning in which she allegedly assaulted a female police officer during a welfare check.
The incident began Monday evening when the child left her home around 5 p.m. with a packed bag and failed to return. Her mother contacted authorities at approximately 11:30 p.m. to report her daughter missing.
Officers responded to the family’s residence around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to conduct a welfare check. However, the minor had returned home, on her own, before the police arrived.
During the visit, the situation escalated when the child allegedly became aggressive toward a female officer. Reports indicate that the minor appeared to be behaving strangely and the mother later confirmed that her daughter had been behaving aggressively toward the officer.
The incident reached a critical point when the minor allegedly bit the female officer on the forearm during attempts to restrain her.
The officers subsequently took the child to the St John’s Police Station where she was reportedly held in a cell until late yesterday afternoon.
The extended detention, according to a source with an intimate understanding of the relevant legislation, “straddles a fine line between contravention and compliance with the Child Justice Act of Antigua and Barbuda”.
Section 5 of the Act, specifically speaking to the apprehension of minors, requires that when police believe a child has committed an offence, they must follow established procedures, including mandatory assessment by a social worker arranged through the Youth Intervention Unit (YIU), before any initial inquiry before the Child Justice Board.
The legislation requires that “the police officer of the Youth Intervention Unit of the Antigua and Barbuda Police Force has made provision for the child to be assessed by a social worker” before bringing the child before the Board for initial inquiry.
There is no indication that these mandatory assessments have been conducted or that the specialized YIU has been properly involved in the case.
About The Author
– Advertisement –
