Mother pleads for Government compensation

Friday, April 16, 2004

A woman is seeking compensation from the Cayman Island’s Government as a result of what she claims has been the mistreatment of her son by authorities.

Ruby Wilson Bodden said: “I plead for a lawyer to help me overturn Mario’s convictions and seek compensation from the Cayman Islands government which I can use to send Mario back to school.”

In 2002 Mario Bodden, who has been deaf since his birth in 1979 and who has suffered from a string of psychiatric problems all his life, was convicted of assault and possession of ganja.

Ms Wilson Bodden said that her son was kept in jail longer then he should have been because of his disability.

She wrote to the Governor pleading her son’s case and Mario was released subject to certain conditions.

According to Ms Wilson Bodden the authorities did not follow the guidelines that were set up. She said: “Mario’s medical records were released to the Police Department unbeknown to me. This recent conviction was overlooked (so were three more) allowing Mario to return to the same environment.”

Following his release Ms Wilson Bodden said that an education evaluation was requested. She said: “It proved that my son did not have the ability to understand what was taking place in the courtroom.”

She feels it is the duty of authorities to provide an education for her son in order for him to become independent.

Mario had attended a deaf school overseas but returned after five years, claiming he had been sexually abused. On his return, Ms Wilson Bodden claims he was not allowed to enter the Caymanian school system and as a result fell into bad company.

She said: “In order for him to become a productive member of this society, he needs to be placed in a school specially suited to him. The system has failed Mario.”

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