Mother burns daughter for books

Bjorn Buke

A mother accused of burning her daughter with a clothes iron had her bail extended in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court last Tuesday.

Charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and cruelty to a child is 43-year-old counter clerk Maxine Bailey of Love Lane, Fletcher's Land, Kingston.

Allegations are that on September 27, the accused, with whom the 15-year-old complainant resides, found out that the child did not return all her high-school rental books to the institution.

When Bailey asked her daughter why the books were not returned, she was told the books would be returned soon.

The accused woman became enraged by the response and beat the complainant with her hands.

Bailey reportedly took a hot clothes iron she was using and burned the complainant on her right and left arms and on her thigh. The complainant ran outside the home and sought to soothe her burns with water from a nearby pipe.

On September 28, the complainant reportedly went to school where a teacher observed her limping and enquired what happened to her. The complainant told the teacher what had transpired.

The matter was later reported to the school's dean of discipline and subsequently reported to the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse. Bailey was arrested and charged.

In court, Bailey had her bail extended by Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey. She was ordered to return to court on December 11 for a mention hearing, at which time an outstanding medical certificate is expected to be made available.