Mom gets bail after hot iron attack on child

So stressed was a 35-year-old mother of four that she flung a hot iron at her six-year-old son.

The electrical appliance struck the minor on the chest, burning that part of his body as well as his left arm.

His mother, Melissa Oneilia Griffith, of Mason Hall Street, St Michael pleaded guilty in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court last Saturday to willfully assaulting the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering and injury to his health.

She was pressing clothes at the time of the incident, Police Constable Victoria Taitt told the court, relating the facts of the case.

The prosecutor also informed Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant that an official from the Child Care Board was called in and the boy was removed from Griffith’s care and handed over to his grandmother and father. Taitt said counselling was also being provided for the child.

Addressing the magistrate, Griffith said she had been stressed as she has had to do everything without any help.

However, Officer Taitt stated that while children could be stressful, there were different avenues or measures that Griffith could have taken instead of resorting to violence against the child.

After addressing the court the magistrate remanded Griffith to Dodds over the weekend. Griffith reappeared again on Tuesday and was granted bail in the sum of $2,000. A pre-sentencing report has been ordered and the convicted mom, who is represented by Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley, will make her next appearance in court on August 20.

In the meantime she has been warned to stay away from the child and report to Central Police Station every Wednesday before noon with valid identification.