Twenty-six (26) year old Jarmel Lenny Tavernier of Wesley who resides at Castle Comfort, has been slapped with an $800.00 fine after he pleaded guilty to child cruelty.
Tavernier appeared before Chief Magistrate Candia Carrette-George on April 6, 2021.
According to the information obtained in court, on April 4, 2021, at about 11:00 a.m. officers responded to a report of cruelty to a child in which the stepfather was accused of burning the child.
The Investigating Officer then proceeded to the home of the accused and informed him of the report which was made against him. Tavernier was cautioned and transported to the police headquarters for questioning.
During an interview with the police, the defendant was recorded as stating, “He [the child] stole at Greens Supermarket. I took a belt to beat him, and I told him I was going to put him in the washing machine. I put him in it and spin it for him to talk and the machine bruised him.”
As a result, he was charged with child cruelty.
At the court proceeding, Tavernier, who was unrepresented, mitigated on his own behalf.
He told the magistrate that he was remorseful for his actions as he had acknowledged his wrongdoing.
“I sincerely apologize for what I did. I have to face the consequences of my action. I ask the family to give me a chance to be a father like I have always been doing” Tavernier said. “I have a newborn on the way and I want to be a better example to them. It hurt my heart; I want to be more loving and caring. I was a bit angry when I did that to the child. I hope that my fiancée and her family will forgive me.”
Notwithstanding his apology, Magistrate Carrette-George reprimanded Tavernier for his actions and lamented that the law is too lenient for this type of crime.
“A child is innocent; at three years he is still young. Look at how you bruised up the child skin, what made you think that you can put a child in a machine. Children need to be corrected but certainly not this way; you should correct them with love and a sane frame of mind not when you are angry.”
Taking into consideration his guilty plea, Tavernier was fined $800.00 to be paid by May 31, 2021. In default, he will be imprisoned for 9 months.
Bull…. this man needs a severe punishment. Your fiance better forget marriage . Give him more years . Evil
Telemaque, this is one time I completely agree with you. I just cannot see a heart of blood in a person who can simply put a 3year old child in a laundry machine and turn it on with the child in it.
You are right! The child could have ended up with a broken neck, which could cause his death–yes this action could have caused a murder!
And hear him speaking such hypocrisy: “It hurt my heart; I want to be more loving and caring” Say what! Even the beast of the field would not treat their young the way that man did to an innocent 3year old child. That man has no Love!
I am looking at a 3year old child, and I see that whatever he did; he does not yet have the state of mind to control his behavior–he is still a baby! $800.00 or 9months in jail is a piece of cake, which is not justice for that little boy.
Well then, perhaps you will find it fit to give me plenty thumbs up; how about that?
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Incredible!! This fellow must be crazy. How can you do that to a three year old, or any child for that matter. The Judge should have ordered that the assailant be put in a cement mixer for a while so that he could experience the trauma that the child experienced. Our culture too often condones these heinous types of “correction” for our children, and then we wonder why there is so much violence in our society, especially among the young. It seems nobody wants to talk things out anymore, it is a slap, stick, stone, or gun to solve everything nowadays. We must begin this conversation now, and teach our young a different way.
Three year old? Fiancee? Woman run from this man pronto
Lady, that man is not fit to be a father to your child, seriousl.
Only in dominica things so happening.what remorseful in that situation the child 3 years practically still a baby you beat him with a belt already you still put him in a washing machine and you claim you was angry boy mister wicked and know what he was doing the child
800 dollars? That’s it?
“It hurt my heart; I want to be more loving and caring.” News article
Well, this is hypocrisy at its very height. Man, your conscience is dead, and without the God of Life in you. He is the One who instills Love in us, what are you talking about “being more loving and caring”? You don’t know how to love and care at all!
Even to think of putting a child into a washing machine and turning it on with him in it, would touch your heart and rebuke that disgusting thought and anger against him; that is what Love does to a person’s mind. But you went right on and did that very thing and you say that “it hurts your heart”!
What kind of heart are you talking about, if it not a heart of stones? And that kind of heart shows no mercy & compassion at all
$800.00 or 9 months incarceration, is nothing to make up for the pain you instilled in that child; I wonder how his mother can even bear to look at you face to face; far more to marry you!
Never make decisions or take action in anger. The magistrate was easy. The laws against child abuse need to be urgently reviewed. They are much too lenient. What pain and emotional trauma that little 3 year old must have suffered. That criminal should be legally barred from even going within 10 meters of that child ever again.
Are evil spirits abound in Dominica? There is so much cruelty and evil being visited on people’s person these days.
You put a 3-year-old child in a washing machine???? Something is severely wrong with you…heartless. Get help!
He burned a three year old child! He is a thug. Let him feel what that is like.
Well said, magistrate: with love and not being angry. I wonder if he would have done the same to his “child on the way”, had he done likewise!!???
HOTEP!
He wanted to washed the child sins!
Omg, a three year old? In a washing machine?? This is unbelievable. How wicked do you have to be, to do such a thing to a child? A child who knows no better?
Lord have mercy on us here.
What a monster, why put the baby in a washing machine, Lord that man is evil, he could have killed her, i can only imagine the trauma this poor child is going to grow up with.
The criminal confessed to beating a child, and admitted to put the child in a machine and turned it on; and a court gave him a slap on his wrists for such a heinous crime?
Beating the kid is one thing; but placing a child in a machine; turn it on; let it rotate, is attempted murder!
The child could have sustained a broken neck; and whereas he sustained burns, it means the child was in the machine for a long period of time.
The bastard should be sent to jail for no less then twenty (20) years for his crime against minor; If the child biological father is alive and does nothing to the culprit shame on him; had it been my child; we would have a dead man walking!
Is Wesley I boy com fram eh!
This guy is a beast. To even contemplate putting a baby in a washing machine is bad but to turn it on while the baby is inside is homicidal. Twenty years hard labour.
Wow!. This is an unfortunate story that notwithstanding is chock full with a lot of lessons for the young man and the Mother of the child.
It appears that his apology is genuine and I hope that he can learn his lesson and gain forgiveness from the mother and her family. Note that he is stepping up to be a father to this very young child, while he himself is young and still needs to learn how to be a good father. He has a child on the way, it appears with the same Mother/Fiance.
May cooler heads prevail. Ask for forgiveness young man and make absolutely sure that something like this never happens again. Learn to control your Anger and correct with love and care. Children will continually make mistakes.
Best wishes to you and your young family. Our society needs more young men who would try to raise their own children, let alone those of other Men.
Ridiculous put him in the damn machine see he likes it. Dats child abuse and he should be not be around the child/children period. $800??? He could have killed the child. He should be in jail!!
Happy the court was lenient on you, because some thieves and criminals in jacket and tie, can’t even be spoken to by law enforcement.
You were not in agreement with what the child did, but there are myriad other ways you could punish the child.. You went to the extreme!! The child is not a shirt, skirt, pant, sheet, etc.
You could have confiscated something the child likes for a few hours or the day, you could deny him looking at the programme he likes best for the day, i have seen mothers just pull the item from the child and place it back.
I do not condone your action and i totally agree with the court for charging you…You got just a touch on the risk i can tell you, so hope you learn!! You deserve a chance.
Real criminals are untouched, so just learn bro..You can still be a very good father..All of us do not learn at the same pace..
You are 26yrs?? Pretty young!
Dont bother with those who will come here trying to crucify you. You did the crime you pay for it. Hope you…
Spare the rod and spoil the child. Now, how was the child able to steal at Greens? Was he not supervised? Does he roam the streets already at such a young age? how did he reach Greens to be stealing anything? while i agree the washing machine might be a little bit much, that youth needs to learn from EARLY O CLOCK!!! that stealing is not the way. Good job on your intentions, poor job on your execution. there is hope. Pay the 800 and learn from your mistake.
$800.00 is chump change. I would have simply sent him to prison for the maximum allowed and also fined him the maximum allowed…fine and confine! Pure cruelty! If it was my child a “step father” had done that I can guarantee you it would have been “murder she wrote”.
If we continue to ill treat, abuse and disrespect our children today then our future which depends on them collectively seems bleak!
Oh boy, two wrongs don’t make a right. It was already bad enough for the child to steal, make it worse at such a young age; but to put him in a washing machine as part of punishment? I will not say much because I am happy you were honest and also happy the Magistrate was very easy on you but I think you should be sent for mental evaluation