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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Parents of pregnant teen charged with aiding carnal abuse</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY T K WHYTE Observer correspondent
Friday, November 03, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine - Senior St Catherine Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar Gayle on Tuesday ordered the arrest of the mother of a 14-year-old schoolgirl who is seven months pregnant.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The pregnant teen's mother, Elizabeth Stephens, a housewife, and her common-law-husband, Leroy Thompson, 45, a farmer of Kitson Town, St Catherine, were both charged on Tuesday with aiding and abetting the carnal abuse of their daughter when they appeared in the Spanish Town Criminal Court.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Twenty-three year old Dwayne Reid, the man accused of impregnating the teen, was also arrested and charged with six counts of carnal abuse.
Both Reid and Thompson were arrested on October 26 following police investigation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The judge also ordered that the teen be arrested and charged with being a juvenile in need of care and protection.
Looking down from the bench at the schoolgirl's large stomach, the judge asked, "you pregnant?"
"Yes ma'am," the teen replied, adding she was into her seventh month.
Sporting a broad smile, the teen then alleged that Reid was the father.<P class=StoryText align=justify>After severely reprimanding the teen, RM Gayle asked Thompson if he had suspected that his daughter was pregnant. Thompson said yes, and told the magistrate that he had reported it to his wife, whom he blamed for not taking the teenager to the doctor.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The magistrate expressed shock when Stephens told the court that it was only a month ago that she discovered that her daughter was pregnant.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Unu shoulda shame a unu self," the magistrate said. "Unu fi know better than that an check pon unu girl pickney," she added.
On Tuesday, Reid, a truck sideman, also of Kitson Town, pleaded not guilty to the carnal abuse charges, telling the court that he only found out that the girl was "under age" six months after he had sex with her.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Detective Corporal Kirk Roach of the Guanaboa Vale Police Station told the court that allegations are that in March this year, Reid had sexual relations with the juvenile,which resulted in her being pregnant. Roach said residents of the district could no longer tolerate the teen's behaviour, and reported the matter to the police.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Roach also told the court that in August the girl stopped attending high school, and was living at the Spanish Town Women's Centre.
Thompson and Stephens were granted $50,000 bail, while Reid and the pregnant juvenile were denied bail. All four are scheduled to return to court on November 14.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY T K WHYTE Observer correspondent
Friday, November 03, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine - Senior St Catherine Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar Gayle on Tuesday ordered the arrest of the mother of a 14-year-old schoolgirl who is seven months pregnant.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The pregnant teen's mother, Elizabeth Stephens, a housewife, and her common-law-husband, Leroy Thompson, 45, a farmer of Kitson Town, St Catherine, were both charged on Tuesday with aiding and abetting the carnal abuse of their daughter when they appeared in the Spanish Town Criminal Court.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Twenty-three year old Dwayne Reid, the man accused of impregnating the teen, was also arrested and charged with six counts of carnal abuse.
Both Reid and Thompson were arrested on October 26 following police investigation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The judge also ordered that the teen be arrested and charged with being a juvenile in need of care and protection.
Looking down from the bench at the schoolgirl's large stomach, the judge asked, "you pregnant?"
"Yes ma'am," the teen replied, adding she was into her seventh month.
Sporting a broad smile, the teen then alleged that Reid was the father.<P class=StoryText align=justify>After severely reprimanding the teen, RM Gayle asked Thompson if he had suspected that his daughter was pregnant. Thompson said yes, and told the magistrate that he had reported it to his wife, whom he blamed for not taking the teenager to the doctor.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The magistrate expressed shock when Stephens told the court that it was only a month ago that she discovered that her daughter was pregnant.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Unu shoulda shame a unu self," the magistrate said. "Unu fi know better than that an check pon unu girl pickney," she added.
On Tuesday, Reid, a truck sideman, also of Kitson Town, pleaded not guilty to the carnal abuse charges, telling the court that he only found out that the girl was "under age" six months after he had sex with her.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Detective Corporal Kirk Roach of the Guanaboa Vale Police Station told the court that allegations are that in March this year, Reid had sexual relations with the juvenile,which resulted in her being pregnant. Roach said residents of the district could no longer tolerate the teen's behaviour, and reported the matter to the police.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Roach also told the court that in August the girl stopped attending high school, and was living at the Spanish Town Women's Centre.
Thompson and Stephens were granted $50,000 bail, while Reid and the pregnant juvenile were denied bail. All four are scheduled to return to court on November 14.
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