Head of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) Superintendent Adeline St Louis-Pesnell is calling on the public not to seek vigilante justice in apprehending the 33-year-old man videotaped abusing a three-year-old girl to drink milk.
Speaking at the weekly police press briefing today St Louis-Pesnell said: "I am saying to members of the public, we know that you are incensed over that video as you are over so many others. Please do not take the law into your own hands. If you know the whereabouts of that suspect please inform the police immediately. We assure you that as we speak efforts are being made to locate the suspect."
St Loius-Pesnell said the Child Protection Unit has sought additional help from other agencies within the police service to arrest the man along with his Jamaican wife who is heard in the 2.12 minute long video blaming the child for the abuse. St Loius-Pesnell added that she could neither say if the couple are flight risks nor whether they are considered armed and dangerous. St Louis-Pesnell told the media that contrary to reports the couple have not surrendered to police but will be captured today.
"We are making all efforts to expedite the search for him and to apprehend him," she said adding that the person who videotaped the abuse has been interviewed and are assisting police with the investigations.
The CPU's head added that the child, identified as "Keisha" has been reunited with her mother. In the video the man is heard telling his wife that “Keisha” did not like regular milk and preferred chocolate milk. That was why he was beating the child to ensure that she drank the milk provided by her mother. He added that the child’s mother was aware that the little girl did not like regular milk.
“I don’t care...Put down your hand, you want a next one? Open yuh mouth,” the man is heard shouting in the video before smacking the child in the back of the head causing her to spew out the milk and fall to the ground, before being yanked back up to her feet.
As of 8 pm last night the video had been shared over 20,000 times and viewed 284,987 times. Many of the commenters on the post threatened to physically harm the man.
The T&T Guardian was told that a gunman came to the home of the suspect Tuesday night and broke-in searching for him. The man left after he was told that the suspect was not at home.