Young mother remanded for burning toddler with spoon

A 21-year-old mother was on Friday remanded to prison for allegedly burning her two-year-old daughter to the buttocks with a spoon after she became annoyed when the toddler pulled on her dress for food and caused her cell phone to fall.

Okele Chester appeared before City Magistrate Leron Daly and pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on May 27, 2019, at James Street, Albouystown, she willfully ill-treated her two-year-old daughter by causing injuries to her head and buttocks.

“I did not willfully make my child get burn,” the unrepresented woman told the court.

Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris opposed to Chester being released on bail citing the seriousness of the charge.

Magistrate Daly upheld the Prosecutor’s objection and remanded Chester to prison until June 21, 2019.

The court heard that on the day in question, Chester was at home frying plantains when the toddler was tugging on her dress for some food.

It is alleged that Chester, who was on the phone at the time, also got annoyed by her daughter’s action which caused her to drop her phone.

It is further alleged that Chester became furious when the phone did not power on after falling down; she then armed herself with the hot spoon and placed it on the toddler’s buttocks.