Son of chopped mother released

NALINEE SEELAL

AFTER seven days in detention at the Juvenile Booking Centre in the Brasso Police Station, the 15-year-old college student suspected of chopping off his mother’s right hand was ordered released by the Office of the DPP pending further investigations.

The weeping schoolboy was reunited with his father and other relatives shortly after 3 pm yesterday, in front of Sgt Boxer of the Freeport Police Station, who is assigned to probe the incident. The boy’s father later told Newsday, “I do not want to speak with any media at this time,” when asked how he felt about his son’s release.

The father has supported his son even after police said he was the main suspect in the chopping incident. He remained adamant that he had a duty to stand by his child despite the circumstances.

The father visited his son every day of his detention, taking clothes and other items and assuring him his stay at the detention centre would not be for long.

On Sunday, after attending a prayer service at Brickfield, the father visited his son and was privy to him being interviewed by Sgt Boxer. Asked about the chopping incident, the boy answered, “No comment,” to all questions. The boy’s Legal Aid attorney was also at his side. On Monday, Boxer went to San Fernando General Hospital to interview the boy’s mother, but she was said to be in surgery.

He returned on Tuesday and met with the victim, who told him she was not in a position to give a statement, and had to speak with her husband first. Late Tuesday the investigator met with attorney Angelica Teelucksingh in the office of the DPP South to discuss the police findings. Teelucksingh sought directions from her superiors and yesterday at 9.30 am, police were told to release the boy.

Sources close to the boy’s mother said she was elated on learning of his release. She confided to relatives that she is hoping he would visit her, as they had not seen each other since she was chopped.

Secretary of the Association of Psychiatrists Dr Varma Deyalsingh said, “Even though the teenager is released back into society, we have to ensure that he gets the proper help to deal with the situation in which he found himself.

“We have to recognise the fact that in teenagers their brains are still developing and the three frontal cortex in the brain deals with handling emotions, feelings and impulsive behaviour.

A child who acts out in a hostile, aggressive manner would certainly need help in dealing with any underlying psychological issues.

“We will have to identify if he has any deep-seated psychological problems that may also need medication. The mother would also need help to deal with the trauma which she experienced and the entire family would need to be brought into counselling to see how we can manage the family dynamics.”

Last Thursday, the teen’s mother was found with her right hand severed and chop wounds to the head and back. The boy was later found at the Waterloo Cremation Site by police and taken into custody as the main suspect.

The following day, during ten hours of surgery at the San Fernando General Hospital, doctors were able to reattach the severed hand.