The 11-year-old had been held at the Belize Youth Hostel, located at Mile 21 on the Western Highway, but today she was offered bail, and has returned to her family.

After the two children had been rescued from their alleged attackers, who they say had abducted and raped them Monday, April 18, the 11-year-old?s father and grandfather, and the 13-year-old?s mother and father, had allegedly abducted the suspect.

The four had been charged with kidnapping by police at the time, but it was not until last Thursday, after the 11-year-old?s father appeared on local television criticizing the fact that police had not arrested the suspect, that the 11-year-old was arrested and charged with kidnapping, on the directive of the Director of Public Prosecutions, because, said police, the two girls had been in the vehicle along with the four adults when the 19-year-old youth was abducted.

In Court #1, in front of Magistrate Ed Usher, the child was granted bail of $800.00 plus one surety of the same amount, but there were special conditions forwarded by the magistrate.

Magistrate Usher said that the girl should not be seen in public without the presence of an adult between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and that she is to receive counseling.

Late this afternoon, at around 3:00 p.m., the girl, who was in the presence of a probation officer and her parents, was escorted from the Belize Magistrate?s Court to the Belize Family Court, where her initial charge of kidnapping was withdrawn, and she was charged with abetment to kidnapping.

Initially the child was arraigned in the Magistrate?s Court, and not the Family Court, which shocked many because of the child?s age and her right to be protected.

This morning in Magistrate?s Court, her attorneys, Sharon Pitts Robateau and Emile Arguelles, had to argue for bail for the child, who had spent the last 8 days in the Belize Youth Hostel.

The Crime Control and Criminal Act, No. 25 of 2003, Chapter 102 of subsection 1, Laws of Belize, Revision Edition, limits the power of the magistrates to grant bail in certain cases, such as kidnapping or attempted kidnapping.

Magistrate Usher said that the case must be disclosed by September 28, and would be dealt with in the Family Court.

The case was adjourned until October 5.

Sharon Pitts Robateau told Amandala that they had been prepared to take the matter to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

The case of the child being a victim was one that won the support of the public, including concerned mothers, such as a teacher of Gwen Lizarraga High School and former City Councillor Lillette Barkley Waight, a.k.a. Nzinga, who felt that the rights of the child had been violated from the moment she was taken to the Magistrate?s Court and her identity was known to the public.

This morning, Nzinga walked in front of the Magistrate?s Court with a placard displaying her displeasure about the way the child had been dealt with.

She said it did not matter whether she was picketing alone or with a group; all she wanted was freedom for the child, and she hugged the child outside the Belize Family Court steps as she walked out with her parents.

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