Police have launched an investigation and made a child-safeguarding referral to the Department of Children & Family Services after a toddler was found alone late at night in a vehicle in a pub car park.
Police Chief Inspector Lorraine Roberts, of protective services, said it was “extremely irresponsible and dangerous” to leave children unsupervised in vehicles.
She added, “You wouldn’t leave your wallet in the car, why would you leave a child?”
Roberts said, “Police and our partner safeguarding agencies take these matters seriously and will thoroughly investigate any such reports made to us.”
She warned the public, “You will be prosecuted if found to have committed an offence.”
Roberts was speaking after the child was found in the vehicle at about 10:40pm on Sunday, 19 Oct. Police went to the bar on Shedden Road after concerned members of the public contacted them.
A police spokesman said, “The officers located the father of the child nearby and spoke to him and also contacted the child’s mother.”
He added that “with the immediate safety of the child in mind”, the youngster was driven to the home of a family member.
The spokesman said that the incident was still under investigation and appealed for witnesses or people with other information that could help the inquiry to contact them.
Anonymous tips can be passed to the police confidential tipline at 949-7777, or through the RCIPS website.
Tips can also be submitted in confidence to the Cayman Crime Stoppers website or by downloading the Cayman Crime Stoppers app.
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Surely the police don’t need “witnesses” to come forward in this case. A member of the public called in their concern, the police came, found the child in the car, unattended, and the father drinking in the bar. What more do they need? There should be several charges laid: neglect, abandonment, abuse . . .
Maybe biological intervention on these parents will prevent the human rights of future children to be ensured?