A St. Ann man, who claimed his 1-year-old stepdaughter drowned, has been arrested after it was revealed that the toddler was tortured. The harrowing incident occurred in Golden Grove District on April 3.
According to initial reports from Jamaica Star, the stepfather claimed that he left one-year-old Aliyah unattended in a tub. The report said that at approximately 8:30 a.m., the stepfather brought Aliyah to the local clinic, claiming he was giving her a bath in a tub. He alleged that he left the toddler in the tub for a brief period.
When he returned, he allegedly found Aliyah unresponsive, leading him to bring the toddler to St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital. The toddler was pronounced dead upon arrival, prompting the St. Ann police to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Local news outlet CVM recently provided additional background, revealing that the stepfather and the mother of the deceased were together before she had the child. She reportedly got pregnant with another man’s child, and the stepfather resumed a relationship with the mother, despite her pregnancy. The couple had since formed a family unit, with the stepfather taking responsibility for the baby. However, following the toddler’s death, it was revealed that the child had been tortured.
According to CVM, the stepfather gave inconsistent reports to the police. Additionally, a postmortem report painted a disturbing picture that the toddler was abused. Medical examiners found significant evidence of blunt force trauma, based on the report. The toddler’s tiny skull was fractured, and her body bore multiple bruises and cuts.
There were also signs of cigarette burns on the toddler, which seemingly indicate that the child may have been subjected to additional abuse before the fatal drowning incident. These findings have reportedly led investigators to consider the possibility that the baby was deliberately harmed.
The stepfather was subsequently taken into custody. There are currently no details regarding the status of the mother. According to the news outlet, the mother was reportedly not present at the home on the day of the incident.