Ogle Day Care owner granted High Court bail

Close to a month after she was charged and remanded to prison in relation to the death of seven-month-old Oriya Gravesande at the Ogle, East Coast Demerara day care she owns and ran, Denise Benn was on Wednesday released on $500,000 bail by a High Court judge.

Her application was made by attorney Dexter Todd.

Bail was granted with the condition that she reports every other Friday to Sparendaam police station, East Coast Demerara and that she lodges her passport and not to leave the jurisdiction.

Benn was charged on April 6 with manslaughter.

She appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

The charge was laid based on legal advice obtained by the Police from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

A joint investigation was launched into the incident, which claimed the life of Gravesande on March 21 at the Little Learners Day Care.

The infant died hours after she was dropped off at the centre by her mother.

An autopsy later determined that haemorrhaging, suffocation and compression to the neck were the causes of death.

During the investigation, the owner of the Day Care was taken into Police custody but was later released on cash bail.

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

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 taken there.