OCR Issues Warning: Leaving Children Without Adult Supervision is a Crime

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) is urging  parents and caregivers to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for their children to have proper adult supervision at all times.

The OCR also wishes to remind parents that the under the law a child is anyone under eighteen years old.

The warning comes amidst reports of three children being burnt to death after being locked inside their home in Negril, Westmoreland on Friday, July 18. It is reported that the children who are fourteen, ten and seven years old were locked inside the house by their mother who left them unsupervised to go to the gym.

Registrar at the OCR, Mr. Greig Smith, who was on the scene while the bodies were being removed to the morgue says “it is extremely sad to see the loss of such young lives due to the reckless behavior of the very person responsible for caring and protecting them. Too many persons continue to take it for granted that children can be left to take care of each other while their parents are away from home engaging in other activities. This careless practice needs to stop and those who are found in breach will be charged by the Police for neglect.”

Neglect is defined as any serious disregard for the care, supervision of discipline of a child and is one of the six types of child abuse.

The Office of the Children’s Registry wishes to remind members public to report all cases of known or suspected missing of abused children to the Registry.

Persons may do so by calling: Toll free-1-888-PROTECT (7768328), LIME-9082132, 822-7031, 754-9133; DIGICEL-618-5888, 878-2882; FLOW-631-8933, 631-8908. All reports received are kept confidential and you do not have to give your name when making a report.