The Tribune

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said parents should be aware of signs that a child may be suffering from abuse.

“When your children come to you and give you information, don’t just dismiss it. “Don’t just tell them, ‘shut up, you’re lying.’ But look into it for what it’s worth,” he told reporters during a tour of Downtown Nassau with senior members of the police force.

He spoke after police reported that a man had been stabbed by his girlfriend on Tuesday after suspicion he allegedly sexually abused her 12-year-old daughter.

This comes after four-year-old Bella Walker died in hospital on Friday from injuries police said were caused by blunt force trauma.

“Whenever you are dealing with children, it takes on a different connotation,” Commissioner Rolle said.

“You have innocence. . .(with the) four-year-old, I don’t know what they were thinking. To see the extent of the injuries, internal injuries, that were caused by the brutal force that was used. And then of course you heard the one yesterday with the 12-year-old—some of the younger ones may not be able to speak for themselves.”

He said parents should be aware of red flags such as a child saying they don’t want to go to a certain relatives’ homes, etc, as signs of potential abuse.