Children’s Authority on custody battle: We cannot do anything

The role of the Children's Authority is not to intervene in custody battles, says its chairman Hanif Benjamin. He said the public needs to read the Family Law Act as all the information is clearly outlined there.

Benjamin was responding to questions surrounding the ongoing custody battle between the relatives of eight-year-old Mukeisha Maynard, who died after a beating in Kelly Village, Caroni, over the custody of her ten-year-old brother Makessi.

The children's father, Michael Maynard, died by suicide after the girl’s death.

At Mukeisha's funeral, Maynard's side of the family argued with the child's mother Maysonia Thomas about who the boy would go home with after.

Maynard's relatives told Newsday since then, Thomas has gone into hiding with the child and has her phone turned off.

Benjamin said unless the court asks the authority to step in and do an assessment of both parties seeking custody, "We don't have to do anything. Everybody keeps asking me. Please read the act. We are here for children and protection matters. We are not here to get into domestic battles."

He said the authority has already made its assessment but could not disclose details.