ACTING Children's Advocate, Justice Henderson Downer, has called for an urgent meeting tomorrow with officials from the Department of Correctional Services and the Child Development Agency (CDA), in the aftermath of last week's report that a 21-year-old man allegedly sodomised his 9-month-old baby brother.

The child's guardian reportedly left him in the care of his older brother, when the alleged assault occurred. Police said the child's anus was severely ruptured and his abdomen badly damaged.

The baby, who was born to an inmate serving a five-year term at the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre for housebreaking and larceny, was in the care of his aunt.

The inmate had selected the woman as a suitable candidate to raise her child. In addition, prison officials say a stringent investigation was conducted before the child was handed over and the woman was given custody of the child.

Tomorrow's meeting - according to head of the Department of Correctional Services Major Richard Reese - is being called to check for any loopholes in current policy.

"After a review is done, we will advise the relevant ministries so that a policy review can be done," Reese told the Sunday Observer. He said the ministries of Health, Justice, National Security and Youth, were all involved in the matter.

Yesterday, homicide detectives probing the child's death said they were awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to determine if the child died as a result of the sexual attack.

The brother of the child has not yet been charged by the police for any crime. He was originally arrested by officers from the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, but was handed over to homicide detectives as a murder charge is considered more serious than sexual assault, police say.

Meanwhile, Penal authorities say the grieving inmate has received counselling and is being supported by her fellow inmates and prison officials.

Besides handing custody of a child born to an inmate to a screened candidate selected by the child's mother, the Government also has the option of placing the child in foster care, while assisting the guardian/guardians with resources to assist with the cost of raising the child. The Government may also place the child in an orphanage, ensuring that a child welfare officer monitors his or her progress.

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