Babysitter gets 60 months for assaulting one-year-old

Feb 16, 2014 News

A 19-year old babysitter was sent to prison for 60 months by Magistrate Sueanna Lovell for assaulting a one year- old child who was left in her care.
Fatima Martin, who hails from Lethem in the deep south of Guyana was charged with assault causing grievious bodily harm.
It is alleged that she assaulted the child she was hired to take care of, at the child’s home in Atlantic Ville on the East Coast of Demerara.
The court was told that Martin was hired by the child’s parents who both happen to be attorneys at law (one a serving Magistrate) to take care of her while they were busy at work.
On Tuesday the child’s parents went out, leaving her in Martin’s care and upon their return they noticed visible signs of injury to her face.
The child had a bloodshot eye while the other showed black and blue marks.
When questioned by the child’s parents, the babysitter gave conflicting stories of how the injuries occurred.
First she claimed that the child fell from her bed; then she changed her story, claiming that the child fell in the bathroom while she was bathing her.
But the parents did not buy her defence, since a medical examination of the child debunked her explanations.
Under intense questioning, the babysitter admitted that she had struck the child.
The matter was reported to the police and Martin was arrested on Wednesday.
In court, she also admitted to assaulting the child and was promptly sentenced to 60 months imprisonment.