A 19-year-old woman accused of murdering her 1-year-old baby was freed on Monday after a psychologist told the court that she was suffering from “a sudden and transient disassociated state of mind” when she smothered the child with a pillow last year.
The nation was stunned last August when news broke that Mischicha Peters, a former student of the Girl High School, was accused of murdering her son, McKealti Peters, at their Arnos Vale home, reportedly after a confrontation with the child’s father over child support.
But clinical psychologist Dr Anita Watson-Adams told the court on Monday that the teenage mother broke under the emotional and financial strain that she had been under all her life.
Peters was initially charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
High Court Justice, Frederick Bruce-Lyle, told the Peters, who spent 16 months on remand, that she was free to go.
Free to go and do what? What institutions are in place in this country to treat this young woman and others like her? She may well end up before the said judge again.
Justice is taking a back seat in SVG. I fail to agree with the judge’s decision. I have no problem if she had an abortion, but to kill the baby in that way is way out of line.
I also saw several person accused of murder, including a policeman, walking free. Is it any wonder we keep seeing more killings, because people believe they would get some smart lawyer to unscrupulously get the out of jail. There has to be a better way and a better justice system. I hope a change in government will hasten the day when peace will returned to my homeland.