The parents of six-year-old Antonio George, and three-year-old Joshua George who died last week in a fire that raged at the Drop-In Centre on Hadfield Street, have since been granted access to their sons’ remains and death certificates.
This comes one day after Sonia and Leon George accused the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) of restricting access to their children’s remains and medical records.
On Friday, the Georges told Stabroek News that they had made a request to view the bodies of their dead children, and for copies of their death certificates as well as the medical certificates of the remaining children. How-ever, the parents said that instead of acceding to their request, which they set as a pre-requisite for the funeral to be held, CCPA officials were pushing ahead with funeral arrangements.
“If we don’t get to see the bodies and the documents, then [there] will be no funerals… What are we burying? Who are we burying?” Leon George had asked.
He said they had a meeting with a Miss Roberts on Thursday, and on Friday they received a call informing them that the funeral was scheduled for today (yesterday).
“They tell we that Le Repentir has no space and that they get space on the East Coast to bury the children but up to now they not showing us the bodies nor the documents,” he fretted, while adding that they have been cooperating fully with the authorities and they would have wanted to see the same from the officials.
The CCPA had said that after being removed from their parents’ home, the children were taken to the hospital, where medical examinations confirmed that they were neglected and malnourished.
Contacted yesterday, the parents explained that after raising their concerns, an emergency meeting was held late Friday with Director of the CCPA, Ann Greene and other representatives.
The mother further explained that they were granted them access to their children’s remains yesterday afternoon.
Additionally, they were also issued death certificates for the two boys and were allowed to see medical certificates for them as well.
As regards the funeral arrangements for the boys, the father explained that there are still some details that need to be ironed out. Nevertheless, they hope to able to lay their children to rest sometime this week.
The five children—aged 11, 8, 6, 3 and 16 months old—were removed from very unsavory conditions at their parents’ home on Chapel Street, Lodge, on the evening of July 6, by child care officers and by the morning of July 8, two were dead.
