By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net 

TWO young children who were allegedly starved by their father and found scavenging from a dumpster have been placed in protective custody and enrolled in school, according to Social Services Minister Myles LaRoda. Mr LaRoda said the children, aged nine and six, are in good health and adjusting to their new environments but declined to share further details to protect their privacy.

The 39-year-old father was arraigned in July on two counts of child cruelty after authorities allegedly found the children wandering the streets and eating from garbage bins. The alleged neglect occurred on October 17, 2024.

Police said the children were found in a vulnerable state, prompting an investigation and the man’s arrest. He pleaded not guilty before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

Prosecutor Inspector Shadrach Coakley objected to bail, citing the defendant’s lack of legal status. An immigration officer confirmed he had no lawful status in The Bahamas. Bail was denied, and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial on September 10.

Child advocate Alexandra Maillis-Lynch, founder of the National Society for the Protection of the Children of The Bahamas, believes abuse has long been normalised in the country. She noted that while the problem is not new, more children are beginning to report cases.

“Children know now that they don’t have to just suffer in silence for their whole life. So, they’re speaking up,” she said yesterday.

Mrs Maillis-Lynch, former president of Ranfurly Homes for Children, recalled seeing posters of runaways and questioning what abuse may have driven them to flee. She said abuse often goes unnoticed unless a teacher, neighbour, or concerned stranger intervenes.

She also highlighted the chronic shortage of social workers, saying the lack of manpower makes consistent follow-ups and case documentation nearly impossible. While commending the dedication of current workers, she argued that outdated systems further weaken the Department of Social Services. She described its technology as “dinosaur procedures and techniques.”

Rise Bahamas President Terneille Burrows urged communities not to ignore warning signs of abuse, stressing that prevention must take priority over reaction. She also called for counselling services for children from abusive households and broader public awareness campaigns to strengthen protection.