Magistrate Renita Singh, on Friday, granted Drupattie Balkarran $300,000 bail for attempting to murder her 6-year-old daughter when she appeared before her at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge.
The 25-year-old of Goed Bananen Land, East Canje Berbice was not required to plea to the charge which read that on Sunday, December 13, 2020, at Goed Bananen Land in the East Berbice Magisterial District she attempted to murder Shania Ramsarran.
Presenting the state’s case, Police Prosecutor Pravan Sayhu told the court that the Balkarran has a history of beating her daughter and that the child is still traumatized from the recent attempt on her life.
Magistrate Singh, during the proceedings, enquired about the child’s whereabouts from her father Steve Ramsarran, who was also present in court and was told that she is currently living with an aunt.
Arguing for the denial of pre-trial liberty, Prosecutor Sayhu furthered that the accused might attempt to tamper with witnesses since they were all neighbours.
However, Magistrate Singh disagreed with the points put forward by the prosecution and granted Balkarran her pre-trial liberty and ordered that she remain 100ft away from Shania.
The matter was then transferred to the Reliance Magistrate’s Court and Balkarran will make her next court appearance on January 27.
Shania was found in an unconscious state in a swampy area near her home after being reported missing. Her parents are separated but her father was given visitation rights every Sunday.
On the day in question, the child’s father contacted the mother at about 08:00h and made arrangements to collect the child.
The mother initially told the Police that she prepared the child and left her in the yard playing. However, at about 12:30h when the grandfather made checks for the child, he did not find her. The child’s grandmother, who was at her home doing chores, said that she saw the child at about 11:30h.
As a result, a search party was immediately formed by relatives and friends, who combed the entire area and at around 14:00h, the grandfather found the girl submerged in a swampy area which is located about 500ft away from the house.
She was subsequently picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to New Amsterdam Public Hospital. However, as a result of the extent of her injuries, she was transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital, where she subsequently regained consciousness.
In the height of the investigation, Balkarran has confessed to beating the child with a piece of wood.
She told investigations that she had asked her daughter to remain in the yard, so she would not get her clothes dirty since her father was scheduled to pick her up. However, the child did not listen, so she picked up a 2×2 piece of wood and dealt the child several blows.
She told investigators, in her confession, that the child “don’t hear (obey instructions), so I just clap two lash pon she.”
According to information received, the woman thought her child had died after she fell unconscious as a result of the beating, so she dumped her daughter’s body in the swamp.
