VENUS Lalloo called “Anita” aged 35 years and a mother of 13 children was found guilty of three counts of child neglect following a trial before Magistrate Alex Moore at the New Amsterdam Court on Monday.The unrepresented defendant had pleaded not guilty to the separate charges which alleged that on July 19 last at Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice, she  willfully contributed to her children, aged five, seven and 10 being in the need of protective intervention.

But following a trial, the court ruled that she was guilty as charged and imposed a $100,000 fine on each charge.

The woman told the court that she was unable to raise the required sum of $300,000 and opted to serve the alternative sentence of six months imprisonment.

According to the defendant, she is employed as a domestic and lived with Marvin Chesney at Sawmill Street, Edingburg Village.

She also told the court that 11 of her 13 children are girls. Four of her children lived with her, including a three-month-old baby.

At the initial court hearing, Police Inspector Phillip Sherif, prosecuting, had objected to pre-trial liberty because of the nature and seriousness of the offence.
However, the magistrate had overruled his objection, and noted that he did not find ground for an objection.

The plight of the three children became public interest after they were found neglected at Edingburg Village. They were subsequently taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital for treatment.