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Tonight, a one and a half year old baby is in foster care after his mother was murdered and his father was detained by police, pending an investigation. We told you yesterday that 30-year-old Margaret Cleland was found dead on the side of the road on Tuesday night. Her baby was found at the back of their yard in a pond. The family had only been living in Willows Bank for about half a year before they were targeted while the child's father, 52-year-old Emeterio Reyes was reportedly not at home.
And even if he is released from police custody, he may still not get back his son. That's what the Minister of Human Development told us when we spoke to her today. She also informed us that the child was removed from the home within 24 hours after the report was made.
Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"Clearly from a report from any citizen or from any family that needs the help. And it's mostly children who have been neglected or abused. So that child is in need of care and the mother has just been killed. And so that the reference, I think, came from the village chair, lady, if I'm not mistaken. And immediately we already have the child in care."
"I don't know if it was a boy or a girl, but it was, it was a boy. He was given a bath. He was given clothes, food and everything. And I believe that we have him in foster care with a set of foster parents who have proven that they are good at caring for children."
Reporter:
"I believe the father was detained, but in the event that he's found not guilty and he's released, what's the process? Would the child be then placed back with the father?"
Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"Not necessarily, as we would know the main priority and the main number one mantra of the entire child care system is that we do what is in the best interests of the child, even though the biological father would have first right to that child we would have to look at whether the child would be safe. I mean even if the person is not guilty of whatever accusation may come and we don't even know if that will happen yet."
"But even if that is the case, what we would do is make sure that the best interests of the child are taken care of, so it's not an automatic thing that it goes to the mother or the father or the granny or the aunty. It's what is in the best interest of the child."
Police have still not made any arrests in this case.
