The Essequibo boy who was discovered dead on Tuesday hours after he was beaten with a belt died as a result of pneumonia, a post-mortem examination (PME) by government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh revealed.
Although Singh’s finding exonerated the child’s mother, the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The PME was conducted at the Suddie Hospital mortuary.
Thirteen-year-old Travis Benjamin was discovered dead in the corner of his house at Little Red Village, Onderneeming Sandpit, Essequibo Coast on Tuesday morning. Neighbours had told this newspaper that they heard the child crying from around midnight to the wee hours of the morning.
Though they had said that the child was beaten to death, Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell had said that the child’s body bore no marks of violence and that investigators would have to await the results of the post mortem. There were also reports that he was dealt a few lashes with a belt because he complained of feeling unwell.
A neighbour said that the mother, Veronica, who has two younger children, had been a patient of the psychiatric ward at the Suddie Hospital. However officials of the Ministry of Human Services are yet to confirm this.
An official close to the case told Stabroek News last evening that a CCPA officer is currently on the Essequibo Coast gathering information. The official said that it is too early to make any conclusions pointing out that the Agency will have to await a full report.
Stabroek News was told that the other two children are being cared for by neighbours.
According to the official the Agency cannot rush to place the surviving children in homes and is looking at what forms of support can be given to the mother.
It was pointed out too that a lot of work has to be done with the neighbours because based on the reports they heard Benjamin crying for hours but did nothing. The official said that members of a community have to understand that in cases like this they need to make contact with the police.
The body was handed to relatives following the PME and burial is set for this weekend.
