Police are searching for a woman who beat a ten-month-old baby as he nestled in his mother's arms in Ste Madeleine yesterday. Baby Josiah Williams suffered slight swelling to his face after he and his mother, Stacy Roopnarine, were attacked at Coquette Street, Ste Madeleine. Roopnarine, 20, of Petite Morne, Ste Madeleine, said they were on their way home around 12.15 pm when the assailant walked up to her and slapped her in the face.
Roopnarine, who was carrying Williams, said she had no choice but to defend herself with her umbrella. She said the assailant then slapped the ten-month-old baby. "She slapped my child three times on her face. Right now my baby eyes red and his face is swollen," Roopnarine said. Roopnarine said she hated passing along Coquette Street, but had no choice as she often had to go to her mother's home to wash clothes.
Roopnarine said the assailant and her three sisters were antagonistic. She added: "Last week one of them told my sister she will shoot her. They always curse us but this time things got worse." She claimed a report was made at the Ste Madeleine Police Station but officers were unsympathetic. "They went up the road and spoke to the girls and after that they came down here and told us not to interfere with them," Roopnarine said.
She said yesterday afternoon another officer called from the station and took a report. Roopnarine said she was fed up with the situation and wanted to press charges against the assailant. She added: "The police paid no attention to my child. That woman hit me and my son. He is crying in pain. He doesn't want anyone but me to hold him." Police confirmed yesterday they received a report of the beating.