‘I can’t believe these people,’ says Thom

Justice Gertel Thom is appalled by the actions of Redemption Sharpes residents, whom she said allowed a mother of two to leave her children unattended from time to time and not report the matter.{{more}}

“I can’t understand how the community of Redemption Sharpes allowed her, over a period of time, to leave those children locked up time and time again in that house and nobody reported the matter,” the High Court judge stated.

Thom was at the time addressing Kellicia Sutherland, who was charged with causing the death of her two year-old daughter Kayla Sutherland and one year-old son Jarod Finch, on February 23, 2009.

The toddlers perished in a fire after being left at home unattended.

Sutherland was, however, found not guilty on the two counts of manslaughter, after the judge instructed the jury to return such a verdict. She had to answer a charge of abandoning a child under the age of two, of which she was found guilty and sentenced to a three-year suspended, custodial sentence.

“You have the family services where you can seek to remove custody from her (Sutherland)….SVG is a country filled with churches, but when it comes to love and care, that is sorely lacking,” she opined.

“A whole community sat by and watched two children be left in a house locked up, consistently. One said he fed the children through a door. I can’t believe these people.”

Thom added that she did not understand the actions of Leroy ‘Jerry’ Williams, who locked the children in the house alone and left for work. “I just can’t understand the community of Sharpes and Jerry Williams,” Thom said.

Thom said that she does not consider Sutherland a criminal or a threat to the country.

“You are a victim of teenage pregnancy, one of those teenagers who became pregnant with no skills, family support and left to fend on your own…From all indications you were living with your mother and there is nothing to show that you were thrown out. You just didn’t want anyone to tell you anythiing,” Thom said.