Raymond Joseph and Charna Goodings. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A man was arrested for allegedly burning two children with a searing spatula, while a woman, the children's mother, was arrested for refusing to seek medical attention for her children.
According to police spokesman Toby Derima, on Friday at roughly 6:43 p.m., police arrested Raymond Joseph, age 52 of Canebrake Apartments, and charged him with child abuse, possession of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence, mayhem, first-degree assault, aggravated child abuse and neglect. Joseph admitted to burning the two minors with the hot object, Mr. Derima said.
Police also arrested 26-year-old Charna Goodings, also of Canebrake Apartments, and charged her with child abuse, aggravated child abuse and neglect, simple assault and battery, mayhem as principal, and first-degree assault as principal. Goodings allegedly refused to seek medical attention for the minors after learning of the abuse by Joseph, according to the V.I.P.D. news release.
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The minors were transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center for treatment of first and second-degree burns to their bodies, according to police.
No bail was set for Joseph and Goodings, and they were both turned over to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending their advisement hearing.
