Disgusting! Judge scolds mother over ‘rotten children’
KINGSTON, Jamaica – A woman was scolded by a senior parish judge this week after admitting that children in her care defaced her relative’s property with profanities.
Shannakay Hayden was brought to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on the offence of malicious destruction of property on Tuesday. But she pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The complainant, Hayden’s sister, said the accused racked up over $200,000 in overdue rent. The sister alleged that after asking Hayden to leave the house due to unpaid rent, she was greeted with profanity-laced painted walls and ceilings. Now, she is demanding that Hayden reimburse her for the $135,000 she spent on repairs.
However, Hayden said she is not willing to repay her sister for the repairs because “It doesn’t come up to that and my sister is an evil against me.”
The court was told that on March 19 the complainant found that the house her sister rented from her husband was destroyed with graffiti. A door, bedroom, bathroom and ceiling were painted with words such as “F*** off Trav” and “Gansta at six, don’t disturb.”
The accused said her 13-year-old niece, who is the daughter of her other sister, wrote the abusive words that were directed at a person named Trav.
Explaining how the graffiti ended up in the house, Hayden said, “My kids paint up the wall of course.”
“This is disgusting,” Presiding Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague said.
“Who kill what, who tek pill fi dash weh belly,” the judge continued, as she held photographs provided by the complainant showcasing the damage. “Is a child under your care do that?”
“Yes, Your Honour. Because…” the woman replied before she was quickly cut off by the judge.
“No, No, No! There is no because. No pickney mussi a write bad word pan door and a say a who breed and who dash weh and all kinds a something,” a very peeved Cole-Montague said.
“When you see pinckney behave a particular way, you reprimand [them], you don’t say because,” she added.
The judge continued to read the markings in the photographs.
“Money a di subject. Who wrote that on the wall?” Cole-Montague asked.
When Hayden said that it was her niece, the judge said, “This niece is uncontrollable.”
In addition to the profanities that were written on the walls, the defendant’s children also drew on the structure with crayons.
“And you think it’s alright that your pickney a mess up the place so?” the judge asked. “That is what is wrong, no one wants to hold children accountable. Unuh can’t hold unuh self accountable much less pickney.”
“This is disgraceful…rotten children turn into rotten adults,” Cole-Montague added.
During the proceedings, both sisters told the judge that the other has been harassing them and publishing hateful comments about them on social media.
A fingerprint order was ultimately made for Hayden . She was also ordered to report to the nearest police station on Thursday. Additionally, the defendant was told to not have any contact or communication with her sister and anyone connected to her, whether it be in person or on social media.
With the arresting officer’s statement outstanding, the matter was adjourned for June 27.