A woman accused of beating her 11-year-old son with wires, causing him to be hospitalised, received looks of disdain in the Corporate Area Resident Magis-trate's Court yesterday.

Charged with child abuse is Eulalee McRae.

A representative from the Bustamante Hospital for Children told the court that this was the third time the child was being hospitalised, and said on the last occasion he was admitted with an injury to the mouth. She said McRae also had a 15-year-old child who was not attending school, and revealed that the 11-year-old was in and out of school. She said they had learnt that the 15-year-old had helped to beat the 11-year-old. The child had multiple lacerations all over his body.

stolen snack

McRae told the court that on the day of the incident she arrived home and was called by the local shopkeeper. She said she went there to see the child tied up and the shopkeeper explained that he had stolen a snack. She said, "Mi tek him to the house and mi beat him. Mi an di neighbour dem nuh talk, so dem call police and tell dem all type a tings."

She said she had been to the family court several times regarding the child, and explained that he was not sleeping at the family home. She said, "Him don't sleep at di yard, Your Honour. Him sleep all bout."

Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey told the investigating officer to make a special notation that the child was in need of care and protection and should not be release into his mother's custody. The matter returns on May 8 for trial.