16 and pregnant – NOC Student alleges

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com]– A 16 – year – old student of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) has reportedly gotten pregnant while at the Onderneeming location, but has not disclosed the details of the sexual activity which has led to this alleged reality.

Speaking to iNews today (Tuesday, July 1), the teen’s 43 – year – old mother said her daughter, who is currently being detained at the Juvenile Holding Center in Sophia, related this to her last week and it was later confirmed by a health official at the Sophia Health Center.

The woman, who hails from Region Six but resides in Kaneville, East Bank Demerara in chronicling the events up to today,recalled that she received a phone call two Fridays ago from the Suddie Police Station informing her that her daughter was in the lock-ups for absconding from the institution.

She said she made several attempts to see her but was only able to do so when she was brought to Sophia days later.

“As soon as I see my daughter I get a feeling and I ask her, I said [her name] are you pregnant? And she said yes,” the distraught woman related.

“I asked her when last she saw her menstruation and she said it didn’t come for long.”

The mother told iNews that she then visited the Youth and Culture Ministry, which has responsibility for the NOC and informed authorities of what happened. She was subsequently told that the matter will be investigated.

Meanwhile, when questioned, the woman could not provide details in relation to the age of the fetus.

When asked about the sexual activity that led to the teen becoming pregnant, the woman said her daughter did not provide those details but would only say that there is a boy at the institution whom she likes.

“Even if this boy got her pregnant, they are supposed to protect her from that, that’s why she was sent there,” she added, further lamenting that “up to now no one told me anything that they took my daughter to the hospital.”

The teen is being held at the Sophia location until her June 17 Court date. The woman claimed that during her daughter endured physical and verbal abuse during her transfer between the Aurora and Suddie Police Station and Magistrates’ Court. She alleged that her daughter was made to sleep on the concrete floor.

Child Care and Protection Agency

Meanwhile, the woman, who provides for her children by cleaning a city school, claimed she reported the matter to Ms. Thompson at the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), with whom she shares a long working relationship. However, she did not receive any response.

When contacted by iNews, Ms. Thompson claimed she forwarded the information to her Director and refused to divulge any details, including her full name. She said too that she had expected the woman to visit the Agency.

However, Head of the CCPA, Ann Greene claimed she received no information from Ms. Thompson that the teen is pregnant. Even when Thompson’s immediate Supervisor was contacted, it was revealed that she [Thompson] also did not inform her [Supervisor] about the report.

A sad beginning

The mother told iNews that her daughter was sentenced to the NOC for three years and nine months stemming from an incident where she hit her [mother] in the head, after she was found smoking with several men in a house when she was only 13 – years – old.

The woman said she gave birth to 11 children, however only eight are alive, the eldest now 25 – years – old.

She said six of the eight were taken away from her and was forced to live in a children’s home, recalling that her now pregnant 16 – year – old was at one point living at Joshua’s Home.

The 43 – year – old mother, who is currently undergoing counseling, claimed after being reunited with her children, her daughter began “misbehaving, going after boys and smoking.”

Near to tears, she recalled her hardships in seeking to provide for her family and said the last thing she had expected was that her daughter would become pregnant while a student at the NOC.