Police from the St Catherine North Division yesterday had to rescue six children who were suspected to be suffering from scabies and were allegedly kept out of school by their parents.

Reports to The star are that about 3 p.m. the police were called to the Gordon Pen community. Upon their arrival, the six children and two adults were seen. There were lesions and bumps all over the bodies of the four boys and two girls.

After being taken to the Spanish Town Police Station, initial investigations revealed that the children aged four to 14 years had not been sent to school. The investigations also revealed that the 14-year-old was allegedly taken out of school by her parents to care for the others.

Both parents have been charged with juvenile neglect.

The children were taken in as wards of the State and are being treated as juveniles in need of care and protection.

The Centre For Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) has also taken an interest in the case.

Scabies is an itchy, highly contagious skin condition caused by an infestation by the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Direct skin-to-skin contact is the mode of transmission. A severe and relentless itch is the predominant symptom of scabies.

- R.T.