As the police in Berbice investigate the sexual assault of three young girls, ages four, seven and ten, their stepfather was arrested yesterday morning at his home.
Commander of ‘B’ Division Ian Amsterdam confirmed the arrest to Stabroek News and he said they police are waiting for social protection officers to further question the children, who are currently hospitalised, and then relay the information to the Division.
Amsterdam stated that the suspect will then be questioned on the information provided.
The girl’s mother was arrested on Friday, one day after school welfare officers found them sleeping on the East Bank Berbice seawall.
After the girls were questioned, they explained that their stepfather ordered them out of the house on Wednesday night. The girls were taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where medical examinations revealed that they were sexually assaulted.
The revelation of the assault has shocked the county of Berbice.
Neighbours yesterday found their voices but asked to remain anonymous as they spoke out against the suspect, who they said would physically and verbally hurt the woman and the children on a regular basis.
“He does beat she and them kids, he does pelt them with coconut in them head,” one neighbour said.
“You would see them passing up and down and if you call them in and give them anything to eat, the mother would cuss you not to give them anything,” another added. “You does got to hide and give them things,” she further said.
According to information gathered, the woman is the mother of 14 children and together the couple have a four-month-old child. However, all of the children do not reside with the mother.
Villagers further up the street said the woman would leave around 7 in the morning and return home until late at night. “Them kids either deh with them stepfather or by themselves whole day,” one of them said, while another added, “Them don’t get nothing to eat, just one bottle of water whole day.”
