Church prays for family of teen accused of chopping mom

NALINEE SEELAL

THE father of the 15-year-old schoolboy accused of chopping off his mother’s right hand at their central Trinidad home, yesterday joined with worshippers at the New Testament Church of God at Brickfield Road, Couva to pray for his wife’s swift recovery and for the heart of his son to be changed.

The service was attended by a packed group of worshippers who held hands and called for the intervention of Almighty God to save the family now besieged by pain and stress as a result of Wednesday’s bizarre chopping incident.

Church members were told not to judge the accused but rather to pray for his soul so that he could return to the Lord and and follow the commandment to honour his father and mother.

They prayed for the full recovery of the 46-year-old woman asking God for her to have forgiveness in her heart for her son.

After the service, the suspect’s father went to the San Fernando General Hospital saw his wife who underwent a 10-hour surgery last Wednesday to re-attach her hand.

Doctors said yesterday the surgery appeared to be successful, but they are waiting to see whether she will move her fingers.

After leaving the hospital, the boy’s father went to the Brasso Police Station to visit his son. Police sources said yesterday that the Legal Aid Authority has to appoint an attorney to first speak with the teen and then the police will be allowed to interview him. This is yet to be done and the teen remained at the Booking Centre for Juveniles where he is being monitored.

Last Wednesday, at around 7.30 am, the boy’s father returned from Carli Bay in Couva where he had gone to buy fish when he saw his son dressed in school uniform. He asked the Form 3 Presentation College, Chaguanas student why he was not at school and then inquired about his mother. The boy instead rode off on a bicycle. When his father went upstairs to the bedroom of the house, he found his wife on the floor bleeding from chop wounds to her hand and chest. Her right hand was severed. An ambulance was called to the house and the woman was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.