Woman charged with assaulting girl, 4, back in court

THE 23-year-old woman charged with wilfully assaulting a four-year-old girl today made her second appearance before a magistrate. Solange Mohammed, of Ortoire Village, Mayaro first appeared before a Sangre Grande Magistrate last Thursday.

The case was transferred to the Mayaro Magistrates’ Court where she appeared this morning.
Mohammed was taken before senior magistrate Rae Roopchand. The mother of one is charged with willfully assaulting a child under section (4) of the Children Act. The charge which was read to Mohammed during her first appearance alleged that she wilfully assaulted the girl on May 25 in Mayaro.

It is further alleged that Mohammed cuffed the child in her face. The child was found with a swollen black eye. Mohammed was arrested and later charged after a video went viral on Facebook which showed a girl in a car with the injuries to her face.

Police from the Child Protection Unit intervened and the child was taken to the Mayaro Health Facility where she was treated for her injuries and later discharged.

Today, the magistrate asked Mohammed if she had intentions of retaining an attorney.
Mohammed said she was in the process of doing so.

Adding, Mohammed said she spoke to an attorney via telephone and was making the necessary arrangements to meet with her attorney face to face.

Mohammed requested time to facilitate the presence of her attorney for the hearing. The case was adjourned to July 10. On leaving the courthouse Mohammed relatives hurled expletives at media personnel for highlighting the incident. Relatives also attempted to block a photographer from taking Mohammed’s photograph.