A 13 YEAR-OLD boy, who is in a private children's home in Kingston, is living out his own disturbing legacy of emotional and sexual abuse.
The boy was pointed out by a caregiver at the home. At first glance, before the chilling story tumbled from the lips of the home's employee, the boy appeared to be a typical teenager. He was pencil thin, dressed in a green T-shirt, denim jeans pants chopped off at the knees and a pair of brown, scuffed, dress shoes that appeared to be at least half a size too small. He was standing on the sidelines of a friendly football game between boys who are
currently residents of the home and older boys who once lived at the facility. He held a stick in his hand and every now and then he would chase one of his friends or shove them playfully.
He jumped as high and shouted as loudly as everyone else when his team scored. But events that unfolded about 20 minutes later would shatter this initial idyllic impression.
Adrian's caregiver told a tale of a boy who had been convicted 13 times of larceny. The caregiver said the boy had told the court and social workers that his grandmother, with whom he lived, sent him to break into shops at nights. This was how he earned for his family. The caregiver did not say whether or not this was proven to be true.
The child's stealing career began when he turned nine. He holds the record for running away from state homes 22 times and counting and a history of transfers through the gamut of state-run facilities.
ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS
Adrian's success at shop
breaking took on mammoth proportions as he racked up a plethora of arrests and convictions, and finally, he entered into the oldest profession prostitution. This he blames on his grandmother's direct instructions, the caregiver told The Sunday Gleaner.
The caregiver explained that due to this, some of the 165 boys in the home were afraid he might try to have sex with them. In fact, the caregiver alleged he had raped a six-year-old boy already.
"We have to watch them (the boys) when they are in the shower and arrange sleeping quarters for Adrian. We have to be constantly on the alert to guard them against him," he said.
Despite Adrian's troubled past, there is no evidence that he is being counselled.
Names changed by request
