Cops, neighbour testify in child-neglect case

TWO police officers and a neighbour testified on Wednesday morning in a case against a Gasparillo mother in December that she left two of her children alone at home.

Candace Dieal, 38, of Caratal Village, Gasparillo, stood before senior magistrate Jo-Anne Connor in the San Fernando Magistrates' Court on a two-count indictment of wilful neglect of the children, eight and three. The incident allegedly happened on the night of December 14.

Dieal was not called upon to plead, the charges having been laid indictably.

Connor is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegation that Dieal left the children, a boy and a girl, alone in their house. Police found the children lying in bed in a bedroom. They searched in and around the neighbourhood but did not find the mother. They took away the children and handed them over to members of the police Child Protection Unit.

Police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan called Woman Police Corporal Leslie Ann Halls as the first witness, as she had gone to Dieal's home with other officers. She gave evidence about what she did that night in respect of taking the children away from the house.

Attorney Ainsley Lucky, who is representing Dieal, then cross-examined Halls, mainly on the issue of the mother turning up at the Gasparillo Police Station a few hours later.

WPC Nicole St John of the Child Protection Unit testified afterwards about her role in taking the children away from the Gasparillo Police Station. Lucky also cross-examined her.

Seedan then called one of Dieal's neighbours, Alwyn Williams, who gave an account of what he heard and saw with regard to the children in the house and the police entering.

Seedan told Connor statements from the children were not obtained because the police had difficulty had in meeting with them. He asked for a summons to be issued from the bench for PC Sotio to attend court to testify on Friday, when hearing will resume.