Lead Editor-Newsgathering
kejan.haynes@guardian.co.tt
A High Court judge has granted a former Couva Children’s Home and Crisis Nursery worker permission to pursue judicial review proceedings against the Children’s Authority of T&T, over what she described as its prolonged failure to act on a report of possible sexual abuse at the home.
Kerri Ann Leon Sing, a former home administrator at the facility, alleged she reported a critical incident on February 22, 2024, involving possible sexual abuse of two children by another resident. In her claim, she said she submitted the complaint via a prescribed reporting form and provided supporting documentation. Although the authority conducted initial interviews, she claimed it failed to follow through with a full investigation or make a determination more than a year later.
The complaint detailed an allegation that a male child had inappropriately touched two other boys at the facility. The children’s disclosures were first relayed to a psychologist during a therapy session and then to the authority’s licensing officer, who began preliminary interviews.
Leon Sing alleged that although the authority initially interviewed staff and the alleged victims in February and March 2024, the investigation stalled. She said she was never interviewed, despite being told to make herself available in May 2024, and that several attempts to get updates—including emails in December 2024, January and February 2025—went unanswered.
In her application, Leon Sing argued that the Children’s Authority had a statutory obligation under Regulation 19 of the Children’s Community Residences Regulations to investigate complaints of abuse at licensed homes.
Her legal team contended that the delay amounted to a breach of this duty and was also procedurally unfair, unlawful, and a denial of her legitimate expectation that the matter would be addressed in a timely manner.
According to court documents, the Children’s Authority acknowledged receipt of her pre-action letter and twice requested extensions to respond but ultimately failed to issue any substantive reply.
The court granted leave for Leon Sing to seek several declarations, including that the authority’s failure to act constitutes a breach of legal duty, an unreasonable delay under Section 15 of the Judicial Review Act, and a violation of natural justice.
Justice Nadia Kangaloo also granted leave for an order of mandamus, which, if successful, could compel the Children’s Authority to complete the investigation and make a determination.
A case management hearing is set for June 27.
