Jamaica: 26-year-old Alton Vernon charged for sexually abusing underage cousin

Trelawny, Jamaica: 26-year-old Alton Vernon alias ‘Beco’ from the parish has been charged with the offence of sexually abusing his 7-year-old cousin. It is to be noted that the incident took place on Saturday. 

As per the information, the police officers started the investigation on Saturday and charged the accused for the offence he committed on Monday. 

According to the reports, the mother of the child was searching for her daughter when she saw her slippers in the doorway to the suspect’s home. This raised the mother’s suspicion and subsequently, she started knocking at the door of the accused. 

Her daughter opened it, and her mother saw the accused putting on his underpants. The child told her mother that Alton Vernon molested her. 

The mother of the 7-year-old reported the matter to the Ulster Spring police, and the police immediately arrested Alton Vernon. The authorities investigated the matter thoroughly and charged him on Monday. 

Moreover, Laurette Adams-Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), also extended her views on this matter. She stated that their agency is probing the matter and assured that they will offer the victim and her family psychological support along with other forms of necessary intervention.

She also added that the trauma of sexual abuse stays with the victim for a lifetime. So, everyone should stand up for these young victims by providing them with the required support. 

The residents of the community took to their social media accounts and expressed their views on the matter. One person with a Facebook account, Ena Henderson, commented, “When I was growing up, my father would not send us to spend holidays at no uncle or aunt; he told the neighbours not to let their sons come to our yard unless he or mama was there and we couldn’t go, Lord now I just know why he said that.”

“Wicked act you should protect this child, and if you abuse this child, you must be punished,” wrote Rory O’Connor. 

Another person with a Facebook account, Sylvester Taylor, commented the following: “He’s mentally unstable; nevertheless, he must pay for his crime.”

The citizens, especially the women of the nation, have requested the government to take stringent actions against such culprits. They raised their concern about sexual offences against women, which is a major issue for society.