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Non-Profit, 501(c)(3)

Mission:
The Dragonfly Centre is committed to the elimination of domestic violence against women and their children by providing victim friendly services that promotes the empowerment of survivors; through advocacy, public awareness and education and community based initiatives.

Vision: The Dragonfly Centre envisions a world free of violence against women and their children and social justice for all. We are founded on the vision and belief that every person has the right to live in a safe environment free from violence and the fear of violence and strive to work collaboratively with the community to provide victim friendly services to support domestic violence victims, survivors to the stage of thriving.

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

TWO-Month-Old Baby was Killed

Baby’s skull was fractured

Male relative, 34, detained in child’s death

By Susan Mohammed susan.mohammed@trinidadexpress.com

A TWO-month-old baby was killed on Sunday after he was thrown on the ground by a close male relative in a fit of rage. 

Baby Andre Feroze Mowlah, of Erin Road, Cap-de-Ville, died of blunt force trauma after he suffered multiple fractures to the skull, and a severe contusion to the brain, an autopsy found yesterday. 

Pathologist Dr Valerie Alexandrov told the Express: “The baby had no chance of survival. Babies of this age do not usually suffer such severe trauma. In this particular situation the baby’s left side of his skull was crushed. He was thrown with a great amount of force. He also sustained a cracked rib.” 

A 34-year-old truck driver was detained by police for questioning.  

The incident was witnessed by the baby’s mother, Diana Ramsaroop, 35, who said it was not the first time the child was “slammed to the ground”. 

Ramsaroop, a security guard, said: “He (the close male relative) throw down the child on the ground before. He used to say he sorry. But you cannot be sorry and do it more than once.”  

The mother said: “He (the male relative) is a nice person, but when he get vex he does trip. Another time he was vex and he threw a heater (iron) on the ground and mash it up. 

“Before the baby was born he used to walk away when he was vex. So I don’t know why he didn’t do that.”

Ramsaroop, who also has an 18-year-old daughter, said the incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. She said that she was outside the house, which is under renovation, putting away tools. Baby Andre was asleep in a crib inside. 

She said an argument broke out between her and the male relative. 

“I was telling him about the tools, that some were missing. He got hyper. He said he was going out. He picked up the child and I don’t know where he went. He came back about ten minutes later. He started to quarrel again and then threw down the baby on the floor. The baby was asleep. He did not even cry,” said Ramsaroop. 

The mother said the male relative picked up the child and placed him on a bed. She said she tried to get closer to the child but the relative blocked her path. 

“He said he going to kill me. I said ‘go ahead’ and he pushed me. He picked up the baby and he realised that the baby was gasping for air,” she said. 

Ramsaroop said the male relative called her sister, Jaime Ramsaroop, who came to the house in her car.

The mother said by that time the child’s head had swollen, but there was no visible bleeding. 

Ramsaroop said her sister cried and begged the man to take the child for medical treatment, and eventually he agreed. The three took the child to the Point Fortin Area Hospital. 

The mother said doctors and nurses questioned the male relative about the child’s injury. “He told them that the baby slipped from his hand and fell, and a piece of wood fell on him. I didn’t say anything”, she said. 

The mother said around 9 a.m. doctors told her that the baby had died. 

Police officers of the Point Fortin CID and Homicide Division (South) took the mother, aunt and male relative to the Point Fortin Police Station where they were questioned. 

The male relative remained in police custody while the mother and aunt were allowed to leave the police station. 

Acting Sergeant Solomon is investigating. 

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