Family charged in child ‘slavery’ case

(CNS): A 59-year-old woman and her 42-year-old son from East End have been charged with stealing a child and cruelty to a child in relation to accusations they enticed a 12-year-old boy from Jamaica to the Cayman Islands, where he was abused, neglected and enslaved. Lurline Viola Henry Smith and Anthony Ricardo Jackson were arrested in April 2019, over three months after the child arrived here. But charges were not brought until May 2021 after a long investigation.

According to the crown’s case, the child was sent to Cayman as a result of an arrangement between Smith and his family, who believed he was coming here to get a better chance at life. Instead, he was locked in the home and made to undertake domestic chores and was never enrolled in school.

However, the boy came to the attention of the authorities when he ran away and an investigation was conducted, which suggested Smith could be involved in further child trafficking and enslavement.

The child has since been returned to Jamaica. Smith and Jackson made their first court appearance this week. The case was heard briefly in Summary Court before being transmitted to Grand Court, where the two defendants are now both bailed to appear on Friday.