TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Trinidad Express
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Dec 5, 2014
Where is the report into St Michael’s Home for Boys? Will Brandon Hargreaves ever get justice?
On Wednesday, Independent Senator Helen Drayton asked why there has not yet been any report, as promised, into the Home and whether any value would be place on Hargreaves life.
Hargreaves, 14, was sent to the institution in 2012 after he was found locked in a dog kennel with a dangerous dog. Reports said he died while play-fighting with another boy at the institution last April.
In July, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said he asked Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard to investigate St Michael’s following allegations of sexual abuse, theft of boys’ property by staff, and neglect, including staff ignoring fights between boys.
These allegations were unearthed in the probe of Hargreaves’ death.
Ramlogan had said there were startling reports of what happened at the Home—that a female member of staff was allowed to take one of the boys to her home, despite allegations of sexual abuse against the said staff member.
The AG had said the same staff member subsequently became pregnant and questions were asked as to the paternity of the child and whether it could be one of the inmates of the Home.
Drayton raised the issue in her contribution to a motion to approve the Foster Care Regulations, 2014 at Wednesday’s Senate sitting at the International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.
She also reiterated her call for Government to bring the relevant amendments to change legislation to raise the mandatory school age up to 16 years.
Drayton said the marriage laws must also be amended to raise the age a girl can be married from 11 to 16.
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