November 17 court date for cop who left infant daughter in car

A November 17 return date has been set for the policeman charged over the death of his daughter who was left in his car at his workplace at the Black River Police Station in St Elizabeth.

Bail was further extended for Detective Sergeant Sheldon Dobson, who is charged with manslaughter, when he appeared before the St Elizabeth Parish Court at Balaclava today.

He is charged in relation to the death of his one-year-old daughter.

Attorney-at-law Thomas Levine, who is representing Dobson, told The Gleaner that presiding judge Roderick Smith set the November 17 date to allow enough time for documents from the prosecution to be served on the defence.

“The clerk indicated that the file is complete. And on November 17, a hearing date is to be set for the judge to determine if the matter will be heard in the circuit court in March 2023,” Levine explained.

According to reports, on January 18 this year, Dobson was expected to take his daughter to day care, but he allegedly forgot and went to work at the Black River Police Station at 8:00 a.m., leaving her in his car.

The child was found unconscious in the car hours later and was rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

In June, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ruled that Dobson should be charged in relation to the child's death.

He made his first appearance before the St Elizabeth Parish Court in Santa Cruz on August 15, where he was granted bail in the sum of $750,000 with surety.

- Christopher Thomas

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