Jamaica: Mom of smoking 3-year-old pleads guilty to child endangerment

(Jamaica Gleaner) A St Catherine woman has pleaded guilty to child endangerment after her three-year-old son was seen in a viral video smoking and drinking what appeared to be alcohol.

The mother, whose name is being withheld by The Gleaner, was granted bail in the sum of $150,000 in the St Catherine Parish Court on Thursday.

The application was made by attorney-at-law Maisha Campbell and was granted on condition that she be given counselling.

She is to reappear in court for sentencing on November 5.

In applying for bail, Campbell said that her client was remorseful.

Parish judge Alicia McIntosh stated that while she could be reunited with her three other children, who had been temporarily placed in state care, she would not be granted oversight of the child in question until due process was completed. 

The mother’s court appearance arose from an incident in late September when the child was seen on video being coaxed to smoke a cigarette and drink what appeared to be alcohol.

An investigation was launched which resulted in the mother being arrested and later charged with child endangerment.

The male in the video is still at large.