Children’s Authority to investigate video of incoherent girl, 14

THE CHILDREN’S AUTHORITY has started an investigation into the viral video in which a man was seen escorting a visibly incoherent teenage girl into a car.

The incident was captured on video and shared on social media. In the video, the man claimed to be girl’s father. Police has since said he was not. They have also confirmed the girl is 14-years-old.

On Saturday night, Child Protection Unit officers released the man because the girl refused to give a statement to them.

In a statement on Sunday, the Childen’s Authority’s communications manager Cheryl Moses said, “The Children’s Authority Act, Chapter 46:10 mandates the Authority to investigate complaints or reports of mistreatment of children.”

She added the investigation will, among other things, include inquiries at the home of the child, neighbours and the child’s school to determine whether the child is in need of care and protection.

Moses reminded the public that they could report incidents of children being mistreated at the Authority’s hotline at 996.

The incident reportedly took place in Arima and despite protests by onlookers, the man eventually put the girl in a car and drove off. He was later detained by police in Cumuto.

Meanwhile, police continue to search for a third man they believe was involved in the murder of Ashanti Riley, who was found dead in La Canoa, Santa Cruz on Friday, after being reported missing two Sundays ago.

The man is said to be a resident of Sunshine Avenue, San Juan, where Riley lived. He was said to be one of two men whom a PH taxi driver, now in police custody, picked up along with Riley.

According to reports, Riley left her Lloyd Street, Sunshine Avenue, home to meet friends at the Croisee in San Juan before going to her grandmother’s in Cocorite. After they were unable to reach her for hours, relatives reported her missing to police.

Police officers detained the PH taxi driver who picked her up, and later, another man. Both men were captured on CCTV footage.

On Friday, responding to a tip-off they received, police found Riley’s decomposing body at Upper La Canoa.

Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy which is expected to be done today to confirm the cause of death. Investigators are also awaiting the results of an autopsy for Krystal Primus-Espinoza whose body was found near Penzance beach, Matura, after she went missing on Wednesday last.

Primus-Espinoza left her St Ann’s Village, Mayaro home on Wednesday in her husband’s van. When she did not return home, relatives made a report to police but they were told that 24-hours would have to pass before they could make a report. Relatives searched and found the van crashed on Penzance Beach on Thursday evening. Her body was found shortly after.