Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Child Development Agency (CDA) is to decide on the fate of the five children of the St. Elizabeth couple, who have been charged with aiding and abetting a 30-year-old man to sexually molest their 12-year-old daughter.

The Santa Cruz police confirmed yesterday that the children - the youngest of whom is about two years old - were still in the custody of their paternal grandmother, as no formal arrangements had been made to relocate them.

It is not certain whether their well-being is adequately being addressed.

Awaiting reports

Director of programme at CDA, Winston Bowen, told The Gleaner that he was awaiting reports from his field officers in St. Elizabeth to make an assessment of the situation.

"I cannot comment on the matter just yet as I am waiting on the report which could be provided by Tuesday (today). My officers are presently working on the case," Mr. Bowen said.

During a visit to the community last Thursday, CDA field officers were seen carrying out investigations regarding the children's welfare.

Last week, the police arrested the couple, both of Rockland in St. Elizabeth, with aiding and abetting the sexual molestation of their 12-year-old daughter and exposing a child to immoral behaviour.

The charges arose from an incident which police say occurred between May of last year and up to recently, when the couple moved into the Rockland community. It is alleged that they allowed the child to have an intimate relationship with the 30-year-old man.

The 12-year-old girl was living with the man in a one-room zinc shack, just a few chains from her parents' dwelling, which was also a zinc hut that housed the parents and their five other children.

Yesterday the couple appeared in the Black River Resident Magistrate's Court where their $80,000 bail bonds were extended until March 26.