A two-year-old child was battered to death by a relative in what police said was a domestic squabble at the family's home in Aranguez. Etean Smith was found dead yesterday, after the relative and the child's mother Davikarani Roopwa had a heated argument on Wednesday night. Roopwa, who was also badly beaten, was up to late yesterday hospitalised, as Homicide Bureau officers questioned a 20-year-old suspect. The incident happened at Freddy Street, Aranguez.
Police said that during the row on Wednesday night, Roopwa, while being beaten, ran for her life and sought refuge at a neighbour's house.
Believing baby Etean would not be hurt, Roopwa left him at the house with the relative, according to the police.
Investigators said Roopwa returned home around 9 am yesterday, and noticed her son motionless. She called the EHS who, along with the police, responded. Up to last night, Roopwa was at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, receiving medical attention. The child's father burst into tears as he arrived at the Aranguez house yesterday, where relatives were preparing to keep a wake. In a brief interview, he said: "He killed my child and I would like to see justice...The law will take its toll. "I asked to keep him (Etean) many times," the tearful father said. Smith said he was with some friends when his brother called him and said something was wrong with the child. "I went to the house and saw the ambulance there...I saw my baby's body black and blue," he said.
"They (EHS personnel) told me that I should not touch him because he was dead. I could not take that...I dropped down one time and cry."
Smith said he tried to visit his son several times, but was turned away.
He said Etean loved to play and watch television. Roopwa's former landlord said the suspect had physically assaulted Roopwa several times.
"I had to ask them to leave my place...He would beat her one week, and then the next," the landlord said. "I went to talk to him (the relative) about it and he jumped to beat me and said I was minding his business. "Sometimes late at night you would hear the baby just cry out." Detectives said the baby's body bore several marks of violence.
An autopsy would be done today at the Forensic Science Centre, Federation Park.
–Reporting by Camille Clarke