The parents of a toddler who apparently treated him as “a toy” during a heated argument, which landed the 25-year-old father in trouble with the law, will appear in the District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court on September 6.
The incident was revealed before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant today after Shane Renaldo Reko Martindale of Hanson Tenantry Road, Lower Burney, St Michael pleaded guilty to assaulting Nakita Bradshaw on June 10, occasioning her actual bodily harm.
The two were in a relationship, which ended in October last year, and have a two-year-old son.
According to Sergeant Edwin Pinder, Bradshaw went to Martindale’s house to get the child, and after a brief conversation they walked to a nearby service station where one of Bradshaw’s friends was waiting.
The prosecutor said upon arriving at the service station, Martindale, who was holding the child, turned around and began walking back home with Bradshaw on his heels.
“On reaching the residence the two started arguing and had a tug-of-war with the child - he snatched, she snatched on so on - with hands flaring,” the prosecutor revealed,
adding that as Martindale was gesticulating his hand hit Bradshaw, who was standing on a slope, causing her to fall with the baby in her arms.
“I need to hear from the other party. The child is not a toy and should not be used as a pawn between the parents. It is our responsibility as adults and parents to protect our children. Children have no right in the business of adults and my primary concern is for the child. As a father your primary concern has to be for the welfare and safety of the child,” the magistrate said as she adjourned the case until Thursday.
Martindale has been warned to stay away from Bradshaw in the meantime.
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