Allen: Abductions causes significant psychological damage

Allen: Abductions causes significant psychological damage
Dr. David Allen, newly appointed head of the Advisory Council on Crime.

Another child abducted in front of home

 

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Amid a series of child abductions in which the victims have been subsequently released “unharmed” in obscure locations in New Providence, renowned Bahamian psychiatrist Dr. David Allen said studies show that these traumatic ordeals represent significant psychological damage to victims that can manifest well into their adult lives.

There have been seven reported child abductions since February 16.

The latest abduction occurred last Friday, March 29, 2019.

Eerily reminiscent of several recent abductions, a woman driving a silver vehicle stopped alongside two boys — ages eight and 10 — who were standing in front of their Collins Close home around 9:00 p.m.

According to authorities, the 10-year-old walked away, however, the woman successfully lured the other boy into her vehicle and drove off.

A short time later, the boy was released on Tonique Williams Darling Highway near the entrance of the New Providence Landfill before he was rescued and reunited with his family.

Police said the boy was examined by a doctor and was in good health.

In at least two other abductions, their children have been taken by a woman in a and dropped off near the landfill.

Speaking to Eyewitness News Online yesterday, Allen said.

“We certainly must be concerned,” he said.

“I am very concerned. No kid has been hurt yet, but leaving a child by the dump at night; something could go wrong.

“And even though they say there is no trauma, taking a kid from home and leaving them by the dump is very traumatizing.

He continued, “All my studies show that when a child is traumatized in early childhood, they get involved in serious crime in later life.

“If you look at the average age of our murderers, 15 to 25, my idea is most of them were victims before they were perpetrators.

“That is why this is serious to me.”

While he did not wish to speculate, Allen opined that the abductor could have also been a victim and is now committing these acts, “feeding some sexual trauma too”.

It is unclear where the abductions are connected and how many of them may have been committed by the same individual or individuals.

In February, two women in a silver-coloured vehicle abducted a three-year-old boy who was reportedly riding his bicycle outside his South Beach Estates home.

The boy was dropped off at a laundromat on Farringdon Road and Fox Hill Road the following day.

Police said the boy did not appear to have been harmed.

In early March, a six-year-old girl was abducted around 2:00 a.m. at her Wilton Street home.

According to authorities, a man walked into the home and took the girl.

However, she was found unharmed a short while later.

A passerby spotted the girl in the area of Woodlawn Gardens graveyard, off Solider Road, and escorted her to the Wulff Road Police Station.

While the girl’s mother claimed her daughter was molested, authorities said there was no evidence to substantiate the claim.

Another abduction was recorded on March 6.

Authorities reported a woman in a grey vehicle abducted a boy, eight, from a park near his home on Emmanuel Drive, off Soldier Road.

Similarly to the abduction in February, the child was dropped off, this time near the entrance of the New Providence Landfill.

There were three more abductions on March 7.

According to police, three boys, ages 5, 8 and 10 were reportedly taken while walking in Koll Acres by a woman driving a dark-coloured vehicle abducted them.

The five-year-old and ten-year-old were returned to the same area, while the eight-year-child was left near the entrance of the City Dump less than an hour later.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.