St Mary drop-in centre assault to be discussed Wednesday
PORT MARIA, St Mary — Officials from St Mary Municipal Corporation will meet on March 19 to discuss findings of an investigation into allegations that a mentally challenged woman was sexually assaulted while in a State-run facility.
“Yes, I can say that they have received the reports and a meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss what is in those reports and a plan of action,” Inspector of Poor Lincoln Brooks told the Jamaica Observer Monday.
In response to questions from Port Maria Mayor Fitzroy Wilson during last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the corporation, Brooks had been unable to provide details about the incident. It reportedly took place at a drop-in centre, and he indicated that he had not yet received a report from the staff.
The incident is said to have occurred about two weeks ago and video footage has reportedly been making the rounds. When contacted last Friday, the commanding officer for St Mary, Acting Superintendent of Police Anthony Wallace, told the Observer he was unaware of a report being made to the police. This was in line with comments made during the council meeting. On Monday, Wallace said the police still had not received a report.
It is unclear if a watchman was on duty at the time of the incident or if the surveillance cameras were working. The municipal corporation’s Poor Relief Department manages the facility, and the mayor, who heads the corporation, has been demanding answers.
“Based on my information it is not the first of such incidents; it is a regular occurrence at the same location and [so] we should have had information on that from our surveillance cameras,” Wilson said during Thursday’s monthly council meeting.
“It should not have taken someone from the streets to see that something was going on, to put their life and safety on the line to bring that to the forefront… that this person… could be able to be conducting such activities. These persons are no less than a child in that a child under 16 cannot give sexual consent… The matter must be dealt with in a serious way,” Wilson said.
