Abandoned toddler reunited with dad

NALINEE SEELAL

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy found abandoned in a cardboard box at Montrose on Thursday afternoon, was reunited with his father at the Chaguanas Police station hours later.

The child’s father, Martin Joseph, a Guyanese living in Montrose who is awaiting confirmation of an application for residence status, was only aware his son was abandoned after watching a television news report. Joseph said he did not recognise his son at first, but when the news report revealed the child’s name was Maleek De Freitas, his whole body began trembling and he went straight to the Chaguanas Police station. Joseph told Newsday that he was contacted by his son’s mother at 3 pm and when she asked if Maleek was with him, he replied that he was not at home because he had an appointment. The woman then said that she had left Maleek in the care of a male friend of hers. Later on, after Maleek was reunited with his parents, his mother accused her friend of baby sitter of abandoning Maleek. Maleek’s mother contacted Newsday yesterday and said she was at a hospital taking care of her daughter who suffers from asthma. She said Joseph had an appointment on Thursday and he left Maleek with his stepfather who later dropped off the child at the home of the stepfather’s landlord in Montrose. She claimed to have evidence that her son was placed in a cardboard box in front of a house by someone known to his father and denied being responsible for abandoning her son. Joseph insisted yesterday he has been trying to get custody of Maleek and his two-year-old daughter but because he is not a citizen of this country, their mother has custody.

Joseph said he had been begging the Children’s Authority, the Child Protection Unit, Social Welfare officers and others to assist him in getting custody of his children but to no avail. He ended a relationship with the children’s mother about two years ago. Yesterday, Maleek remained in the care of his father but police said the boy could be taken into the custody of the Children’s Authority pending a final determination of investigations.

At 4 pm on Thursday, soldiers on patrol were alerted by members of the public that a toddler had been abandoned at an unoccupied house at Montrose. The boy was taken to the police station where he was fed chicken and chips. Children’s Authority communications manager Cheryl Moses, contacted for comment on Joseph’s claims, requested that questions be emailed and she promised to respond.