Minors burned by family members for eating peanut butter and using cellphone

by Linda Straker

• 2 minor males in the parish of St John deliberately burned with hot water
• One boy ate peanut butter without consent, while the other used a family member’s phone to play games
• Boys’ hands infected due to a lack of proper medical care

Police have confirmed that an investigation is presently ongoing into a matter in which 2 minor males in the parish of St John burned with hot water, has left the boys’ hands infected due to a lack of receiving proper medical care.

The father of the children who is from the parish of St Andrew, confirmed the physical abuse of the children, but his name will be protected so as not to publicly expose the children. “Yes, the children hands were burned and honestly, I don’t know or really understand why that had to be done to them, but they are with me now,” he said. One of the boys had eaten peanut butter without consent from an adult in the house, while the other used a family member’s phone to play games.

“It happened during the lockdown,” said the father.

Reports are that a good Samaritan observed the burns on the children, and then drew it to the attention of the police in the community. The police then contacted the relevant authorities who were themselves shocked to see the state of the minors who are aged 9 and 5.

The incident occurred more than a week before it was drawn to the attention of the authorities. Medical authorities concluded that the children were receiving home remedies to heal the hands which appeared to have lost the natural skin colour.

The relevant authorities had both children taken to the General Hospital for treatment. It is understood that the incident occurred in the presence of family members including the grandmother who participated by holding down the boys’ hands for the mother and uncle to pour the kettle of boiling water on the minors.