Mother and stepfather, who is a pastor, plead guilty in abuse case of 7-y-o boy

A St Catherine-based pastor today pleaded guilty to badly beating his seven-year-old stepson at the child’s school.

He pleaded guilty to child abuse and cruelty to a child, while the boy’s mother, who did not report the incident, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting.

Their bails were further extended by Acting Senior Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle until May 12, when they are to be sentenced.

The court heard that in February 2024 the man went to the boy’s school where he grabbed the child and punched him repeatedly in his upper body, to the shock of teachers who were present.

A report was subsequently made to the police’s Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, which launched an investigation.

The pastor was arrested at his church while he was delivering a sermon.

He was subsequently charged with child abuse and cruelty to a child.

The boy’s mother was charged with aiding and abetting child abuse after the investigation revealed that, despite her knowledge of the abuse, she failed to report it to the authorities.

Both parties made numerous court appearances until their guilty pleas on March 13.

- Rasbert Turner

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