VILLAGERS at Charity on the Essequibo Coast are crying shame at a mother of three, whom they claim are shielding a stepfather who allegedly has been sexually molesting her daughter who is now in her early 20s and a teenage son.

The story blew asunder on Wednesday last when another son in his early 20s stumbled upon the stepfather sodomising his 16-year-old brother in a mining camp in the interior and stabbed him (the stepfather) repeatedly about the body.
According to reports, the stepfather dealt the older brother a blow to his head with a piece of wood, but the lad made good his escape and travelled to Charity where he reported his discovery to his mother. It was said that the stepfather, afraid of the outcome should his deeds come to light, travelled to Charity immediately after the older lad, who villagers said has been desperately trying to tell the weeping mother another story. According to reports, the stepfather has abandoned the 16- year-old boy in the mining camp somewhere in the interior.
Sources said that the devastated woman took a flight to the mining site on Thursday to bring her teenage son to safety.
A close associate of the mother told this publication that despite the fact that they had pleaded with the mother to report the matter to the police, she has bluntly refused. The informant said that several years ago there was a similar case where the woman’s daughter, who was then a teenager had told her that the stepfather was sexually molesting her and the woman in turn had “shushed the child” for fear of disrupting the family.
Some residents have informed this publication that the woman fears loss of financial assistance from the man, should she expose him. The stepfather has gold mining operations in the interior.
Sources are suggesting that the man has been molesting the teenage boy from an early age and had recently taken him into the interior to work with him, so that he could have free access to execute his evil deeds.
Some said that the couple would normally take young males from the village to work with them in the interior but are often unable to pay the workers when the time arises, even though they make record gold findings.
Some have alleged that the couple is operating an illegal gold- mining unit in the hinterland.