The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
FRIDAY,
MAY 19, 2017
by KENVILLE HORNE THE POLICE HAVE LAUNCHEd an investigation following the discovery of three children and their parents living in unusual and unsanitary conditions, in an area known as St. Hilarie, on the Grenadine island of Bequia. At about 6:15pm last Monday, police took Otis Lockhart, originally from Edinboro, his wife and three children into custody. The children, two girls and a boy, and their mother, confirmed to be US citizens, have since been assigned to the care of the Social Services Department (see accompanying article), while Lockhart, according to Superintendent of Police Richard Browne, who is responsible for the Bequia District, Lockhart is under police care for his own safety. When THE VINCENTIAN spoke with Supt. Browne during the late afternoon hours of Wednesday, he said that the family of five was brought to Kingstown on Tuesday. Lockhart was handcuffed. He, like Deputy Commissioner Colin John, confirmed that investigations since have turned up no evidence that a criminal act had been committed, despite reports that the mother and children were being held against their will. “From what we understand, the wife said that they were not kept without their will,” said Browne. He said that based on information the police received, the family was renting a house in Bequia before Lockhart purchased 6,000 square feet of land on which there was a structure of sorts and a small tent. Browne also dispelled rumours that the property had no electricity. “The gentleman (Lockhart) purchased a
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Otis Lockhart, handcuffed, being escorted from the Grenadines Wharf to the central Police Station, Kingstown. (Photo Credit: Jerry George)
had a tank for storing water, according to Browne. Browne revealed to THE VINCENTIAN that Lockhart told police that the three children were not attending public school, but were being homeproperty which had schooled, and that they had electricity and internet,” plans to return to the USA, said Browne, who where the children would asserted that he had seen have been enrolled at evidence — bills - to this public schools. effect. When pressed as to the He further noted that the reason the family was taken area of abode of the family was not into custody by the police, an isolated one, and that a number of Browne explained, houses were located close by, contrary to what was reported by some sections Continuied on Page 3. of the local media. The property also Left: Superintendent of Police Richard Browne, with responsibility for the Bequia District, alluded to amenities at the place of abode of Otis Lockhart and his family, as not being as dire as certain media reports and rumours made them out to be.
NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WRONGDOING by DAYLE DASILVA THERE WAS NO GROUNDS on which to make a definite determination as to whether or not an American woman and her three children were being held captive by her husband, Otis Lockhart. News broke here on Monday of a possible situation where four individuals, an adult female and three children, were being held against their will on the Grenadine Island of Bequia. Deputy Commissioner of Police Colin John confirmed on Wednesday that the police had received a report on Monday that a family was discovered to be living in sub-human conditions.
He said that it was later discerned that the family was living in a tent, and that police, who had visited the location after receiving reports, assessed that the children were pale and frail. DPC John explained that, based on photographs that he had seen of the tent occupied by the family since 2013, it appeared as though the conditions would have been cramped. He added that he did not see any photographs of the inside (of the tent) and was, therefore, unable to comment on what the police discovered. According to John, the five persons were taken away, with the adult female and children being taken to the Bequia Health facility for medical attention, and
Lockhart being held in police custody. “We started the investigations at that time, but based on the information that we have at this time, there is nothing criminally incriminating any member, or anyone else relating to the incident,” DPC John said. He added that the female had indicated that she was willing to remain with her husband, and gave no indication that she was in anyway harmed or being held captive. The DPC reasoned that there must have been some other reason why the family was living under such dire conditions.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Colin John confirmed that initial police investigations did not provide any basis on Continued on Page 3.-which to charge Lockhart.