THE CHILD CARE BOARD (CCB) is conducting a full review into its handling of the case of six-year-old Jahan King.
The youngster died June 29 after being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance. His mother Lasonta Gill and her boyfriend Dwayne Marshall were questioned by police.
The statement expressed condolences on behalf of chairman Ken Knight. It acknowledged they had received reports of injuries to the child and officers had been investigating.
Jahan’s grandmother Margaret Gill laid the blame at the feet of the CCB after making several reports to the organisation about the treatment of the child. In an interview with the DAILY NATION, she listed broken fingers, an injury to the eye, a burst mouth and bruises about the body.
“I was just asking the Child Care Board to don’t put him back in her custody, so I blame them for what happen. From the time the eye was swell up, he couldn’t see out of it and she couldn’t send him to school – why would you give her back the child?” she asked.
The full statement follows:
“Chairman of the Child Care Board, Ken Knight, in a statement issued today, has extended condolences to the family of six-year-old Jahan King.
The statement said: “The Child Care Board deeply regrets the passing of the child, Jahan King and extends its profound condolences to his family and loved ones.
The Board acknowledges that it did receive reports of injuries to the child and that its Officers had been actively conducting investigations which were ongoing at the time of his death.
The Board is presently undertaking a full review of the matter and gives the public its assurance that it will continue to vigorously execute its stated mandate to offer protection to all children in need of such services.” (SAT/PR)
