Little Eon Shurland is now more open with probation officers who are still trying to locate his mother and are working to have him enrolled in school, Ann Greene, the director of the Child Protection Agency which is caring for the him says.
Shurland went missing from his Kuru Kururu home on April 27 just shy of his ninth birthday, and was subsequently found wandering in the compound of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, East Bank Demerara. Two days later, he was handed over to the agency after a concerned guard took him to see a doctor at the institution.
The child who had clearly suffered some sort of traumatic event was very withdrawn and only revealed his first name to probation officers. It was after a publication in the Stabroek News in which his grandmother expressed fear that he had been killed, that Shurland’s identity was known and he was later reunited with the woman who had cared for him since he was a little child.
Giving an update on the case yesterday Greene told Stabroek News that since being reunited with his grandmother, Shurland “is responding nicely and doing all kinds of things”. She said that based on the information the child has given, officers have been able to make documentation.
Greene said that so far, there are no signs of physical injuries or scars on the child, but stressed that the agency is continuing its investigations into the case and are trying to make contact with his mother to ascertain how he ended up at Diamond.
She noted that the agency is overflowing with cases and the officers are working around the clock to handle all of them. At present, she said there are 120 children in the care of the agency with a range of problems including young boys using drugs and others who are refusing to attend school.
She said too that the agency has one vehicle and because of the huge case load, “things got to take time”.
This newspaper, had contacted Shurland’s grandmother Katie on Monday in connection with her son who was battered to death in the interior. The dead man was Shurland’s father.
It was during the interview that the 65-year-old woman revealed that her grandson was missing and stated that she was told that he was beaten by a woman after he ate a tennis roll.
The woman had said that the child’s mother who is 22 years old and had two other children made no attempt to find him. She said she travelled from her West Bank Demerara home, filed a missing person’s report and accompanied by the police, visited the area. However, after searching they failed to locate him. The woman accused of beating him was arrested but was subsequently released on station bail. She had denied hitting the child.
According to the grandmother, the child’s mother had told her that she had sent him out by a male friend.
Katie had sent the then eight-year-old to live with his mother in January because of her poor health and her inability to take care of him financially. Despite this she would send items into the area for him fortnightly and last visited him during the Easter season. On that occasion she had told this newspaper the child appeared well.
Toddlers abandoned
Meanwhile Greene reported to this newspaper that around 11 am yesterday two boys thought to be under three years old were found wandering in Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo by residents. She said that two women took the children, who appeared to be siblings, to the agency. The toddlers were unkempt, had no shoes and were wearing oversized clothing.
Greene added that the children cannot speak properly and would point whenever they are questioned. She also said that they looked unwell and displayed signs of neglect.
They are currently in the care of the agency and anyone who may know or have information about the children is asked to contact the agency on 227-4420.
Greene noted that children should be helped and cared for and not abused. She urged communities to assist children more adding, “we have got to get back to the days when a village helped to raise a child”.
