CHAIRMAN of Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Parmanand Persaud has said that the government is very concerned about the death of 12-year-old Trevis Benjamin, of Red Village, Onderneeming, on the Essequibo Coast. Consequently, officers of the Child Protection Agency will be sent to investigate the circumstances surrounding the demise of the boy who did not attend school and was dumb.
Persaud, who was accompanied by the Regional Schools Welfare Officer, Mr. Haimaraj Hamandeo, and Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) executive member, Mrs. Juliet Coonjah, met with the mother of the deceased, Veronica Benjamin and expressed government’s concerns over the mysterious death of the lad for whom government also provides public assistance.
The mother told the Chairman that she observed her son was “not looking nice” Monday evening and suspected that he would die.
However, when further questioned, she said that the house was dark because there was no kerosene oil to put in the lamp and she had no money to buy.
So the child who was left in a corner of the house alone, was crying and groaning with high fever and she became annoyed with his groaning and started to beat him with a belt, the woman related.
She also said the boy was very weak because he was not eating and she gave him tablets for diarrhoea as she became stressed out over the situation.

NERVE PROBLEM
Asked about the child’s father, she stated that he was in the interior working, but a relative of the family implored the chairman to have something done for the woman since she is suffering from a ‘nerve problem’ and attends psychiatric clinic every month at the Suddie Hospital.
The relative said the mother did, indeed, beat her son during the night and his groaning affected her.
Several other neighbours in the community said they heard the child crying loudly and groaning as the mother, mercilessly beat the sick child.
It was revealed that the boy did not get food on many days as both parents showed little interest  in caring for him.
The mother, who has three other children, Marvis Garraway, 10; Avis Garraway, 8 and Elton Benjamin, 6, said they seldom attend classes although a new school (Suddie Primary Annex) is located a short distance from her home.
Other villagers said they are afraid of the woman who hails from The Pomeroon and receives public assistance for her children.
The police are awaiting the post mortem  report to aid their investigations.