Mother, 21, calls on cop to pay up child support

A 21-year-old woman wants the cop who fathered her son to stick up to his responsibilities.

Javorne Stapleton told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that her son’s father, a member of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), has refused to pay any money in child maintenance since she announced that she was pregnant.{{more}}

“… every corner I turn I keep getting block,” the young woman said.

Stapleton explained that almost every time she has sought redress, it has ended up in more despair.

She said that she has gone to the Social Welfare Department and has even spoken to the Commissioner of Police on the matter, but to no avail.

“I am feeling real bad, he’s persecuting me — I am fed up.

“I would like for the father of the child to take up his responsibility, because it’s very hard on me,” Stapleton said.

She said her relationship with the cop started in late 2011, when she was enquiring about the Police Force, which she was interested in joining.

She told SEARCHLIGHT that she and another friend, an ex-police officer went to visit the Commissioner of Police, but were told that he was busy.

She was eventually put on to the officer who she said later fathered her child, who instructed her to come in for an interview.

Stapleton said that she went to the station, did the interview and gave a statement as she was asked and the officer said that he would call her thereafter for a follow-up.

This he did, but he also instructed her to come to his home, so that he could show her some sample questions, the woman said.

She said that she became suspicious and asked him why was it necessary that she go to his house, but he insisted that he had some things to show her and that she should go.

“I went. I didn’t think about carrying anyone, because I had an interest — I put my trust because he is a police officer, he knows the law … so I put my trust,” she said.

Stapleton said that she told her mother of the meeting and went.

However, during the time she spent there, she said that he took advantage of her and they had sex.

The two had a brief relationship lasting about a month, before she felt a bit uneasy about the relationship and started staying away from him, she said.

Stapleton explained that on the day she informed the cop of her pregnancy, she also told him she had heard that he was getting married, but he said this was not the case.

However, she said that five months into her pregnancy, the cop got married and although he had initially agreed to take care of his child, he has refused to do so.

“I want some course of action,” she said, adding that the only person who has been assisting her so far is her mother and sister.

Stapleton said the father has not done anything to help her and she is currently unemployed.

She said that she will conduct a paternity test soon.