Boy who alleged child abuse reported missing by dad

THE Cocorite man whose 13-year-old son alleged he had been subjected to physical abuse went to the Carenage police station on Saturday night and reported his son had disappeared.

When the man made the report, he did not know his son had reported to the Child Protection Unit that his father had beaten him with a cable, tied a chain around his ankle and hung him upside down to sleep.

Told about the report against him, the man denied the allegations and said he was willing to be interviewed to clear his name.

He also told police he last saw his son around 2 pm last Saturday and had been told the boy was staying with his uncle in Carenage. He told police the uncle had no court order authorising him to keep the teenager, and wanted the police to return his son.

But he was told allegations of child brutality had been made against him and the Child Protection Unit had decided to let the boy stay with his uncle pending the outcome of the investigation.

Today Child Protection police under Insp Coggins and Sgt Christopher Arun will interview the boy, who made the allegations last Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday he was medically examined. After interviewing him, police will interview his father.

Last Saturday around 4.30 pm the boy and his uncle went to the Carenage police station to report the alleged abuse.

The teen said he sought refuge at his uncle’s home and asked police to let him stay there because he was afraid of his father.

The boy’s mother, who lives in Tobago, is expected to be with her son when police interview him.