A man was yesterday charged with the abduction of a four-year-old girl from Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

Sherwin Lewis, 29, of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara wore shackles on his hands and feet, when he appeared before Magistrate Fazil Azeez at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court on the indictable charge of child stealing. He was not required to enter a plea and was remanded to prison.

It is alleged that between August 9 and August 10, at Leonora, he detained Varsha Singh, of 44-45 Station Street, Leonora, with intent of depriving her from her parents’ possession. Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews objected to Lewis’ bail application on the grounds that he may not return to court for his trial and that he may interfere with the little girl if released. The prosecutor also noted that other charges are likely to be brought against Lewis shortly.

The magistrate subsequently ordered that the unrepresented Lewis be remanded to prison and that he return to court on September 7.

Reports are that Singh, a pupil of EXE’s Nursery, on the West Coast, went missing from her home on August 10. Lewis, who is known to Singh’s family, was holding her captive in a make-shift camp at the back of Anna Catherina.

This incident was reported to Ms Bissoondai Kumar, School’s Welfare Officer on August 12, by the child’s uncle and an investigation was launched.

The child’s mother, Parbattie Motiram alleged that the missing child had a glass of water to drink and went back to bed at around 11pm on the night before she went missing. Motiram awoke on Monday morning and discovered her daughter was missing and the inner door to the entrance of the house was opened. She immediately launched a search, checking with neighbours and relatives but could not locate the child.

Residents accidentally stumbled upon the camp located at the back of Anna Catherina surrounded by bushes on Friday, while in search for a clothes thief since several pieces of baby clothing were discovered missing from a man’s clothes-line. The four-year-old, who had appeared traumatised, was then taken to the police station by residents and later to the hospital for a medical evaluation.