Boy, tortured at youth ranch, to sue

The Nature Fun Ranch is now facing legal action after a teenage boy was tortured at its St Andrew site by four employees.
Michael Lashley QC, who represents the young boy, made clear in court Thursday that they are suing the ranch for personal injuries.

The four men who admitted to assaulting the boy, causing him actual bodily harm, were set to be sentenced but this has been rescheduled for July 1.

Those four men are Akeil Adrian Harding, 22, of Kendall Hill, Christ Church; Anderson Patrick Gill, 26, of Free Hill, Black Rock; Jamali Jaheem

Farrell, 19, of Skeetes Road, Bank Hall, St Michael and Dario Rasheed Greenidge, 26, of 1st Avenue Maxwell, Christ Church.

The boy was enrolled at the ranch which assists with the rehabilitation of at-risk youth by using “nature, fun, adventure and learning”, the court heard. Youth engage in horseback riding, motocross and farming.

On February 8 while at the ranch, certain accusations were made against the teen.

It was sometime after those accusations were made that the boy was severely beaten and kicked in the stomach. A horsewhip was also used to beat him.

In another instance, the teenager was dangled head first into a fish tank and tied to a tree. His hands were then scalded with hot coins.

The matter was reported to the police after his mother collected him later that day.

When the men admitted to the torture before Magistrate Wanda Blair, she condemned their actions as “nothing short of torture by young men who should know better”.

She had granted the four $4,000 bail each and ordered pre-sentencing reports.
Attorney Duana Peterson represents the four.