Two young girls, who were removed from a backdam in Region One last Saturday, have been taken into protective custody by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) as police begin a probe into the circumstances that warranted their removal.
The girls, a 13-year-old who gave birth almost two weeks ago and a 12-year-old who is five months pregnant, continue to receive medical treatment at a city hospital after Members of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) rescued them.
President of GWMO Urica Primus had told Stabroek News that residents of the area made contact with the organisation’s regional representative, Stephanie Miguel, who along with another member went into the backdam on ATVs and removed the girls from the area.
From the details supplied by Primus, the 12-year-old was allegedly impregnated by her father, who according to Primus, is the same man who had reportedly left his wife and the girl’s mother to bleed to death in a yard after raping her last October.
The woman, who had recently had a caesarean delivery, refused to have sex with her husband. The husband, in a fit of rage, allegedly raped her and after she begun haemorrhaging dragged her into the yard, where she died. However, he is yet to be charged.
The girls were taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital before being transferred to the city, where, Primus explained, they had to be given blood. “Apparently their blood count was low as they had not been eating,” Primus said.
Primus also reiterated concerns about the lack of welfare and child care facilities in the hinterland regions.
Meanwhile, a representative from the CCPA has confirmed that both teens along with the young baby have been taken into protective custody and are in the process of providing the police with statements. It was further explained that they CCPA is awaiting the completion of these statements before they decide on a clear path of action as it relates to the welfare of the teens and the baby and before any arrests can be made.
Nevertheless, Director of the CCPA, Ann Greene offered assurance that the CCPA will make arrangements to accommodate the girls.
Region One has been the source of troubling statistics. Recently, a survey of Adolescent and Youth Sexual Trends in Guyana conducted by the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) revealed that a “disproportionate number of rapes” seem to be occurring in the region. While Region One represented only 8% of the 392 persons surveyed, the region accounted for 26% of all rape victims in the survey, which was conducted in eight of Guyana’s 10 regions.
