Imprisoned Babysitter claims she was beaten by Lawyers

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The 19 – year – old babysitter Fatima Martin, who was sentenced to five years in prison for abusing a one – year – old baby is now making counter allegations that she was beaten by the parents, who are Attorneys – at – Law (one a serving Magistrate) and was subject to maltreatment during her employment there.

Martin admitted to family members who visited her on Monday, February 17 at the New Amsterdam Prison that she did hit the child. She said however, that she was beaten by the parents when she told them about the incident at the house.

According to the relative who opted to remain anonymous, Martin claimed she was beaten again at the Police Station in the presence of a female Police Officer.

“She said the man even threatened to shoot her and put her body in a bag, I ask her why she didn’t tell nobody and she said it happen right at the station too in front of a police,” the relative told iNews during an interview.

Martin, who is an Amerindian and hails from Lethem, Region Nine was sent to prison for 60 months by Magistrate Sueanna Lovell for assaulting a one year- old child who was left in her care.

The relative also told iNews that when Martin was hired in November 2013 by the couple, she was told that she would get $30,000 a month for babysitting the child. However, Martin is now claiming that she was forced to do dishes and laundry among other house chores for $7,000 weekly.

She also claimed that she was forced to sleep with the baby, spending almost 24 hours a day with the child.

 “She is a young girl, why would they put her under that pressure and from what she told me when I spoke to her in December and ask her about the job, she said the baby likes to cry, always crying for nothing.”

Several human rights activist on Monday, February 17 protested outside the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) where a sitting of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was being held over what they say was the draconian sentencing of the 19 – year – old.

According to the activists who were drawn from several organizations, including the Amerindian People’s Association, the Guyana Women Miners Organization, Red Thread and the Help and Shelter said all violence against children is wrong and should be outlawed.

However, they remain struck by both the speed at which the matter was concluded by the police and the Court and more so by the sentencing which is apparently the maximum penalty under the laws of Guyana.

They are calling for the reversal of what they say was an inhumane, unreasonable, unbalanced and clearly bias sentencing.