Five charged over alleged abuse of children at St Elizabeth boarding school granted bail

The persons charged for the alleged abuse of American children at a private boarding school in St Elizabeth have each been granted $350,000 bail in the parish court.

Previously, the police charged 39-year-old Eddison Morris from Great Bay district, 51-year-old Courtney Wiggan and 33-year-old Carson Cox, both from Sandy Bank, and footballer Odane Maswell, 31, from Holland Village district, with assault occasioning bodily harm, cruelty to a child and assault at common law.

Since then, a fifth person, 23-year-old Damion Herrera, otherwise called 'True Juice', of Gordon Pen, St Catherine, has been charged with cruelty to child.

All five appeared in court on Tuesday.

The accused men are scheduled to return to court on Monday, May 13.

The police say the investigation into the matter is ongoing.

They say the operator of the facility is scheduled to be questioned by the police on Thursday, April 11.

Last month, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency disclosed that it removed eight boys from the Atlantis Leadership Academy in Treasure Beach following an unannounced visit on February 8 during which "signs of abuse and neglect" were reportedly observed on the children. 

The academy and its founder Randall Cook have denied the allegations.

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