Caught on camera | Trinidadian to spend 2 months in prison for child cruelty
A Trinidadian woman will spend 60 days at Her Majesty’s Prison after she was caught on camera ill-treating a two-year-old boy at a daycare centre on Tortola.
Debra Jobe reportedly committed the offence on March 16, 2017.
In handing down the sentence on Monday, Justice Ann-Marie Smith took into consideration her early guilty plea and her previous good character as mitigating factors.
On the other hand, the seriousness of the offence, the breach of trust and the young age of the child were considered as aggravating.
What the court heard happened
The court heard that on the day in question, the woman was in the process of changing the toddler’s diapers. During that time, the child was reportedly fussing so Jobe grabbed and shook him in what was described to the court as a rough manner.
After putting on the diapers, Jobe reportedly pushed the infant away from her; without pulling up his pants.
The court heard that when the infant arrived home, he cried throughout the night, causing his parents to seek medical attention for him.
And following a medical assessment, a physician informed his parents that the child was in pain as a result of someone twisting and pulling his arms; causing tenderness and swelling.
The parents then made inquiries at the daycare centre. However, they were told that nothing happened.
Caught on camera
Prosecutors said another teacher had recorded the incident on a cellular phone and the amateur footage was later released on social media. After seeing the video, the matter was reported to the police who then launched an investigation.
The video was later shown to the court as evidence.
Attorney Valerie Stephens-Gordon represented the woman.
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Need to investigate more of these so called Day Care Places. Child abuse is more recurring by Care takers and nothing is being done. Young Toddlers being man handle and beaten is not a laughing matter. And then we outrage when a child starts displaying bad behavior. Check your children when you collect them from Day Prison.
A child!
A two years old!
What can this little child possibly do to offend an adult to make her want to manhandle him?
THE LAW AND KARMA SHOULD DEAL WITH HER at the highest possible level.
What a wicked woman?
Can anyone imagine what is going on in these day cares?
This woman should get more jail time. I’m sure that’s not the first time but because that other teacher was there to catch this animal. I’m sure when the parents came to pick up the child she was acting like she love the child. A lot of them doing it only one and two get caught. I think a camera should be set up in every daycare. If a camera is not there people don’t leave your child there. These teachers not working for the love of the children they are thinking on the money.
Please Please name the daycare!!
A.B.C
Wow…caught on camera
I applaud the other teacher that recorded the incident on her phone. Some may disagree but when there are minors that cannot speak for themselves, someone has to look out for the wellbeing of the children. She should have gotten at least the minimum time that would allow for her deportation back to Trinidad
so we dont need the whistle-blower law again
Thanks to the teacher but she should have reported it to the principal of the daycare.
She did but they did nothing so she had no choice but to report IT to Social Development
I cannot join you in applauding the teacher who recorded it. She too is bound by law to protect a child that was entrusted to all of those caregivers at the facility. She should have stepped in immediately and protected that child from her abusive and angry co-worker from the moment she saw abuse taking place.
Now if it was a hidden camera with nobody monitoring it at the time, that’s something else. But to stand with your phone and watch an innocent child being violently abused makes her just as guilty as the offender.
If she is creditable care giver for all these years.with complain and this happen now. Left me thinking this is a plot against the young woman. All children fuss when changing and is controlled. This sentenced could be dealt with better than that. What goes around comes around. The teacher who video tape had an agent as well.
By the way it’s Trinidad and Tobago. Get it right. Dank u
I feel the same as you do. I think the judge was to soft on her. Well I have to say, if she get her A** rocked in jail, she have to deal with getting rocked. Kids is off limits. You hurt or treat a child like that. You have to get rocked.
Would have been nice if she had intervened.
While thanks to the other teacher video taping the matter was sort of resolved. Shame on that teacher for not stopping the situation and reporting it. Why did it have to take that teacher posting it on social media? I also agree with other bloggers that a heavier sentence should have been given. This is definitely a reminder for parents to take nothing for grated – pay close attention to what i going on with your children.
She got fired for doing this
If that was my child I think I would’ve been before the judge, not her!
It should be made mandatory that surveillance cameras be installed at all daycare..
i agree, but to be monitored by who? you would be surprised to hear how much of these places does cover up stuff internally.
on another note, kudos to the teacher that secretly recorded. i can imagine the courage it took on that teacher’s part to say/show something as the pressure of being forced out of a job, or any other form of retaliation, whether internally or externally, may have been on that teacher’s mind but took action nevertheless.
Silly people you all went police smh that Trinidad woman would have been ….
She would’ve been what. Hypocrite! Mouthy and internet badness blogger. Find Trinity and Mr Penn killers and deal with them. Find Mr Todman who’s been missing so long and help solve the crimes in your country. You seem ready for war. Fight for a real cause, you DARNED BIG COWARD!!!!
I agree totally with you.Why the other teacher didn’t report it. But then again maybe it’s best she didn’t because it would be a hush hush situation so thank God she did it this way so everything could be in the open. I hope she will never get a job to deal with children again because she’s not in the right field. A lot of people taking jobs all because they need a permit. Such a shame.
What a vivid reminder for all of us to pay close attention to our school- aged children, regardless of age and grade, at our learning institutions!
Learning to feel our children’s bodies, from head to toe, BEFORE and AFTER attendance of schools and care centers, would alert us to signs of pain and distress, that could occur overnight and/or during the course of a long day.
It’s unfortunate that these centers cannot be the true spaces that our children can be safe.
It is time that regulatory mechanisms be enforced in the day-to-day operations of care centers, up and to the inclusion of CC cameras!
My favorite words “DEPORT HER PRONTO”
not with that pitiful scentence handed down it needed to be 3 months she is free to stay here and hurt more children
Agreed. Cameras should be mandatory. Also, some day cares are very filthy! And when questioned. They get very offended. Some laws needs to be implemented and then enforced for our babies/toddlers safety. These kids are helpless! We are trusting (almost strangers) on a daily basis with our CHILDREN/ Our life!! Professionalism, patience, safety, cleanliness SHOULD BE MANDATORY. NO EXCEPTIONS OR SHUT THEM A** DOWN!!
She got in trouble for it and she is still doing it. Thanks to the teacher that reported it, but unfortunately she was fired. She claims that she is a Christian going to church every Sunday…
Trust me it’s still going on by the school. She moved to the next location, but it’s still happening. I would know….
You are are quick to condemn christianity and have more skeleton in your close closer. Any body can speed up or slow down or even make a a footage looks so real. Be realistic this story is fab. Careful before we jump on the wagon with people.
So your diagnosis from a position of reading an internet blog, is that the footage is doctored, despite an actual trained physician confirming injuries consistent with the crime filmed?
What I find even more disgusting is the co-worker who took the video without stepping in to protect an innocent child. Suppose the child was killed? The offender is wrong and deserve every drop of punishment, but the person who took the video should be charged as well. She is also a caretaker of the child and she should not have stayed in a corner video taping while a child’s life was at stake
It broke my heart to see a baby treated in that manner, you go off to work and leave your children with people that is hurting and mistreating your child. I have a two year old and we had to cut back on a lot of things because my husband and I made the decission that it would be best for me to stay at home with our daughter untill she is ready for 1st grade.We trust no one with our daughter. There is no excuse for that woman to do what she did to the child.As a parent,I am asking the judge to throw the book at that woman. An exemple has to be made.
Coward parents …this got me hot. There is a time for the LAW then there is a time for eye for an eye everybody blind.
One thing i dont like about those Trickdadians is their boasting, non honesty, trickery, w***ishness, and general bad mindedness. They believe they better than everybody else, NEWS FLASH..you people aint worth two drop of shhhhaving cream***
I am glad a Trini tricked your ra$$. Indigenous fool.
Good morning. Your comments are very ignorant and foolhardy. “Indigenous Virgin Islander” I see that your memory is quite short because as I recall Trinidad and Tobago sent aid to the BVI during Irma. If we were as you allege, I don’t think we would do that. It’s usually said that a lot of BVI people and others from Overseas Territories have proven to be a bit aloof because of your seemingly esteemed status as a colony of the English Crown. So be it I say but I won’t sit idly by either and allow you to disrespect my sovereign country.
Remember though that instead of spewing forth vitriol, strive to come up with unique ideas and positive actions to make our Caribbean region a better place please for us and future generations God willing.
You seem to be a tool of imperialism that only focuses on disunity and shackling of the mind. It’s not a good fit.
Free yourself from the apparent mental slavery that you are bound to.
Please leave these shores and go back. We dont need your kind here. You people are destroying Natures Little Secrets.
Seabourne, Liat, Air Sunshine, Cape Air, Inter Caribbean leaves T. B. often, just catch a ride on one.
Indigenous Virgin Islander, you again. You’re a figment of your own imagination. It seems that you’re struggling to believe that you actually exist.
Jesus’s return is soon so please strive for Righteousness before it’s too late.
“You people” what a way to address someone Mrs BVI islander stop and think before you keep writing such nonsense am I to understand that no BVI islanders have ever done a crime before in another country? If that’s the case my hat goes off to you all . On the other hand if there is at least one person than is it fair to say that all “ you people” are that way way and should leave the country? Stop fulling your heart with hate as I could recall Tortola was underdeveloped and a lot of those “people “ from other Caribbean countries help in getting the islands where it is today so please be mindful of your words it might just come back to hunt you one day .
This is for those person who keep saying how the teacher was wrong for videotaping her and not report IT to the principal or owner. This was not the first time this same woman been accuse of abusing kids at the same daycare and she always saying how everyone is telling lies on her and the owner always take her side. Well with the video everyone can see no one was telling lies on her. Everyone who know this woman always complain how rough she is to kids,and the owner sit there and did nothing believe everything that the woman said well guess what IT was not he say she say this time its video and the matter was reportes to Social Development by the same teacher
The owner did what? Just tell me where this daycare is located so I can avoid them at all costs. All I want is the location. These sick people should not be in daycares at all. Who does background check on them? This hurt my heart so bad to read what the little child went through.
Baugher’s Bay!
The daycare name needs to be mention not kept protected from the public.
The day care said nothing happened…thank you for capturing ONE of them.Y’all need to have cameras installed by law.Go into any of these ghetto day care and everyone from the owner/Principal…got a belt
ruler or something used on the ppl children.Most of these teachers…dropout with youth ..ain’t got no discipline… bringing them life drama in the workplace.Her them..the child rude like the mother… don’t ten it out on the child….y’all need stop try friend up ppl…and do your blasted job…and endless training and appraisals… like a normal society. Y’all to bushy and.buff.
If u cant handle kids, leave them alone and seek another profession !!!
After you have warned and warned then comes judgement. Maybe this caregiver was warned several times about how she treating people children and had no change of behavior. The one who taped it I believe didn’t have to try hard to get that footage since it might have been a normal occurrence. That not being the case taping would have been the last thing on her mind.
If the allegations are true, she is wrong to have committed such an act. The law will deal with her accordingly. Country woman or not, what’s right and pleasing in God’s sight I love and cherish. Nothing else.
This is Heart Breaking what interest me is this doctor what’s his name he’s really good many times I experience my child crys allot after school but I just never thought such would happen parents take heed omg
I am surprised that Day cares in the BVI don’t have cameras or open door policy. I run a small Day care and I had to be licenced by the State of Maryland, my staff and I had to be fingerprinted and each of us had a background check ran on us. We were also required to have security cameras installed through out the Day care and outside. We also have a open door policy where the parents can drop into the Day care anytime they want to during the day.
I feel so bad for the parents that have to leave their children in the care of these unqualifed monsters that acts so caring when the parents drop off their children. I am soooo thankful that my mother is here to take care of my 2 year old when I go to work. If my mother could not take care of my daughter, I would quit my job. That is so hurtful what that lady did to the child. I am mad with the judge because the judge was to easy on the woman. That woman is going to walk out of jail and set up shop again. At least NAME THE DAYCARE CENTER SO PARENTS CAN PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM PEOPLE LIKE THE TRICKADADIAN.
Lord JESUS if this was my child I don’t know how I would of take this. It wasnt going down so easy
Before you all comend this young lady for stepping up and make that video let me just say something she was not acting in the best interest of this child,this young lady is the niece of the woman that is in prison husbond who she is been trying to set her up for yrs just the fact that they didn’t want her in the family,so you guys need to get the facts straight,I’m not saying what she did was right but it’s more to the story,
We don’t care whose interest she was working in – whether aunty daughter son husband niece.
The offender is caught and that is all that matters.
It is a sad day when a child is hurt in any way possible. It’s a even sadder time when people can be so disrespectful to one another. Yes what she did was uncalled for and everyone is entitled to their opinion but why can we be more respectful with it so she is a Trinidadian is it right to degrade all Trinidadian? Would I be fair to say that all BVI islanders hate “down island people “ no it not so remember in all our opinions keep in mind we all are not perfect and in one way or another we fall short. To the parents my deepest heart felt sympathy .to the baby I pray a quick recovery both mentally and physically.To the Trinidadian I hope for reflection and forgiveness. To everyone else I pray that we never stand in judgment of others. God is still in control.
I pray the little one is healthy and joyful again in Jesus name.
People its ok to be angry by this but how long will you be so and why act like you are all perfect? Some of you are big time abusers in different ways yet you are here condemning the lady. Learn to forgive and let go! Be willing to offer solutions to problems rather than just being all negative critics.
But then again forgiveness is only in genuine hearts. People who do not understand and know God’s unconditional love will not have forgiveness in their hearts. And there are clearly lots of you on here. Teacher Deborah the Lord has forgiven you already and so have I. Hope you have forgiven yourself. Never mind the persecution from man. In this life no matter who you are or what you do or not do, there is still persecution. I am praying for you. Hope that you have already repented and are working on ways to ban your anger. Maybe it would be good to see a Christian Psychologist.