Mom pleads not guilty to abandoning child at Kiddies Carnival

A 27-YEAR-OLD woman pleaded not guilty yesterday to abandoning her child during Kiddies Carnival celebrations in Siparia last Friday.

Josie-Ann Linton, of Coora Road, appeared before senior magistrate Margaret Alert in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court.

The charge alleged that Linton, with responsibility for a child, exposed the child in a manner likely to cause physical injury, contrary to Section 4: 1 (A) of the Children Act.

The allegation against Linton arose from police on duty at the event, who spotted the three-year-old boy on the road at about 7.15 pm and asked where his parents were.

They then took him to the Siparia Police Station.

Further investigations led to the father going to the station. He was given the boy, but Linton was charged and granted her own bail of $15,000.

After she pleaded not guilty yesterday, Alert told the mother the charge was laid indictably. However, the police prosecutor recommended a summary trial.

Attorney Soojan Singh, who represented her, asked for disclosure of all material.

He was given a summary of the evidence on the police observation of the child on the street and their enquiries about his parents.

Alert allowed Linton continued bail as fixed and ordered her to return to court on April 4.