SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Questions swirled Wednesday about whether a man taken into custody to face allegations that he sexually molested his five-year-old sister has other victims.

According to his mother, a woman had told her that her 29-year-old son had previously attempted to molest the woman’s child. However, recently installed head of the Westmoreland Police Division, Senior Superintendent Wayne Josephs, was unable to say if the police were aware of similar cases.

For now, the investigation is centred on allegations related to the man’s young sister. His two-year-old niece, whom family members initially feared he had also molested, was examined at hospital and appears unharmed, the man’s mother said.

The man was taken into police custody on Tuesday night.

Josephs said timely feedback from residents and the relentless pursuit of the police had resulted in the man’s capture in the Whithorn area of the parish.

While he could not say when the man will be charged, Josephs said the investigation has been placed on a fast track.

“There are a number of things to be done. Checks and balances have to be done so that we put together an airtight case against him, but I can assure you that we are expediting the investigation,” he said.

The lawman said the incident should serve as a deterrent to people who may want to commit a similar offence. He also commended the five-year-old’s mother for noticing that something was wrong and taking action.

“There are a lot of parents out there who see the signs and hear complaints from their children and they ignore them. So, I want to appeal to the parents out there to pay close attention to your children so if anything strange or unusual happened they can detect it and take action as soon as possible,” he said.

The young girl’s mother, who on Monday said she wished her son would die because of what he allegedly did to his sister, now says she wants him to suffer instead. The man is her second-born child and the five-year-old whom he allegedly molested is her youngest.

“He should feel more pain like what my daughter feels. She is five and she got molested. Her virginity gone from her but thank God he did not kill himself that we could not get more justice. So, mi thank God for that,” she said.

She also commended the police for capturing her son, an about-turn from her complaints, a day earlier, that they were moving too slowly. Now she is pleading for help to cope with the memories of what happened to her baby girl.

“I need the Government to help us. See what you can do for us to help us to get away from here,” she begged before breaking down in tears.

“The remembrance is still here in the room. Every time I go inna the room I remember my babies. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat,” she said.