The boy, who vanished without a trace a month ago and was feared dead by relatives, has been in the care of the Child Protection Agency since April 29 and because of his traumatised state, officers were unable to contact relatives or ascertain what had happened to him.
At the agency’s Ministry of Human Services office yesterday afternoon, there was an emotional reunion between nine-year-old Eon Shurland and his grandmother, Katie.
The reunion was made possible following an article in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News in which Katie expressed her sadness at the disappearance of her grandson and the subsequent murder of her son (the child’s father) in an unrelated incident.
A photograph of the boy was also published and this helped to identify him.
At the grandmother’s request the child will remain in the custody of the Agency.
Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, the Director of the Agency, Ann Greene said that the child was referred from the welfare department of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
Stabroek News was told that the child was seen wandering around the compound of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre for two days and was given food by doctors there.
Greene said that a guard at the location subsequently took the child into the building to see a doctor and it was the doctor who contacted the Amerindian Affairs Ministry after several unsuccessful attempts with the Agency. The child was eventually handed over to the Agency.
At that time, he appeared frail and only told the probation officers his first name. He did not divulge any information on what had happened to him, where he was from or where his parents were. According to Greene, it appeared as though he had suffered some sort of traumatic experience.
“He just needed time to heal. As he heals he will talk to us. He needs time”, the Director said before stressing that the Agency is investigating the matter. This newspaper was also informed that the child is being counselled and mentored.
Shurland was later brought into the room where the reporter was. Neatly dressed in a dark-coloured stripe shirt and khaki pants, he did not utter a word. There was a sad expression on his face but minutes later for the first time in weeks, he smiled after seeing his grandmother. Later while bracing on a female probation officer, he quietly ate some pastries.
Yesterday morning, after speaking with this newspaper, officers were able to make contact with the grandmother, who had taken care of the child since he was a baby. Efforts will be made to contact the child’s mother.
A reunion was then planned for 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon at Greene’s office.
Emotional
As Katie sat waiting to see her grandson, she told Stabroek News that she was anxious.
She said that she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her body.
About five minutes later, when Shurland spotted her, he ran to her with arms open and was smiling brightly.
“Mama ah miss you and ah cry for you!”, he said as he nestled himself on her lap. Never once did he get up. The child almost immediately began telling Katie about all the things he drew and coloured during the day. Later the two looked at his many drawing and periodically Katie showered him with kisses and told him how much she loved him. “Mama ah draw a fish and a alligator and a house and two dog”, the elated boy said.
“Ah just can’t believe this… Only Saturday ah was planning to do a memorial service for him because that would have been 40 days since he missing. Now ah will have to do a thanksgiving service”, she said adding that her daughter too is in disbelief.
Katie subsequently told the probation officers that the mother had told her that she sent him out to a male friend. The elderly woman noted that the mother whose age she gave as 22 didn’t make any attempts to find the child. The mother has two younger children.
“She didn’t do nothing. It was me who had to do everything. I even went to the police and told them that he missing”, she added.
Katie had told this newspaper that she and the police had gone into the area days after the boy vanished but there was no trace of him. A woman was arrested but released after the child was not found.
The grandmother told the officers that when she handed the child over to his mother, she promised to take care of him adding that she and her husband would drop items at a shop in the Kuru Kururu area for the child.
“She was not in a strain because we use to send thing fuh he”, she said before recalling that she was planning to visit him on April 29 when he would have celebrated his 9th birthday.
However the trip was cancelled after he went missing.
Katie later asked the Agency to look after the child for a while since she was not in a financial position to do so and was also in poor health. She added that she did not want to put too much pressure on her daughter with whom she lives as she has two children, is working and also attending classes.
Meanwhile, the child is unaware that his father – Elson is dead and according to Katie she doesn’t know how to break the news. She said that she is aware that at some point she will have to tell the child.
A post-mortem is to be performed on the body today.
