KINGSTON, Jamaica - A father brought an assault charge against his daughter after alleging that she fractured his ribs when she threw a stack of books at him.

Alecia Jaddoo was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She was also slapped with malicious destruction of property after her father reported that his glasses and wrist watch, valued at $150,000, were damaged during the incident.

The Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court was told that on February 27, the complainant and his daughter were in an argument stemming from Jaddoo stricting her parents from seeing her child. Jaddoo, during the altercation, threw a stack of books at him, which he said caused the fractured ribs. The man also said he received multiple scratches on his back and his right arm was also damaged during the assault.

Although he was a bit hesitant to have the matter referred to restorative justice, because he said the family had invited Jaddoo to “sit down and talk but she refused,” the man ultimately agreed.

“This is a criminal proceeding. There is more at risk,” Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montaque said.

He also told the judge that Jaddoo has lived in his house for 38 years and since she left with her child his wife has been distraught.

“I would not like to see my daughter go to prison. I would not like to see her paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the man said.

The matter was then referred to restorative justice, with both parties being ordered to return to court on July 10.