Ogle Day Care owner on cash bail as police readies file for DPP’s advice

The owner of the Ogle, East Coast Demerara Day Care where a child died last week was released from police custody on cash bail, a statement from the Guyana Police Force confirmed on Sunday.

It comes as police investigators and the Child Care and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Protection wrap up their joint investigation into the incident at the Little Learners Day Care that claimed the life of 7-month-old Oriya Gravesande.

The file is expected to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the new week for legal advice.

Haemorrhaging, suffocation and compression to the neck have been determined to be the causes of death for Oriya, according to an autopsy.

The day care facility has since been ordered to discontinue its services. Minister of Human Services and Social Protection, Dr Vindhya Persaud also confirmed that although the day care has been operating for 27 years, its administrators, Pastor Eric Benn and his wife, did not have a license.

Benn told reporters that they never encountered such an incident.

The News Room understands that the baby girl was found unresponsive at the day care and taken to a health centre where medical professionals attempted to resuscitate her about eight times.

The healthcare workers there subsequently called an ambulance from the Georgetown Public Hospital but it seemed too late.

The child was pronounced dead at the city’s main hospital minutes after she was brought in.

The child’s father, Odysseus Clement and the mother are now turning to the Police for assistance to investigate the child’s death since they believe officials at the day care are culpable.