The incarcarated mother of Daniel Sutherland, a nine-month-old boy who was molested and killed in Arnett Gardens, St Andrew, on September 29 is today crying foul.

Diane Creary, is a repeat offender now at the Fort Augusta Correctional Centre serving a five year prison sentence. In a letter to THE STAR, she accuses prison officials of being unfair and not allowing her to attend her son's funeral.

Literally begged

"I pleaded and literally begged them to hand cuff me so I can attend my baby's funeral. I was not even allowed to visit the morgue. I can't believe they did this to me, no one attended baby Daniel's funeral," she wrote.

Reports are that the child reportedly died after a gruesome attack. According to the Kingston Western police, the baby, who resided in Arnett Gardens, St Andrew, was pronounced dead at the Bustamante Hospital for Children. A 21-year-old man was taken into custody following the incident. The matter is now before the courts.

Truth was never told

In the letter received from Creary on Wednesday she wrote of the grief she has been forced to bear in prison. She states that ;"The truth was never told of baby Daniel, he was born here at the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre and he died one month and four days after he left the prison." She said the officials had forced her to send the child out.

According to Creary she wants the truth to be revealed, "In the media, they said that I was receiving counselling and that is far from the truth. Throughout the entire ordeal, neither Mr. (Richard) Reese nor the assistant commissioner came to look for me. I tried to call the psychologist and the phone rang without an answer."

When contacted, head of the Department of Correctional Services, Major Richard Reese, said that while he sympathises with Creary and the loss of her child she was not allowed to attend the funeral based on the prison's policy.

Conditional release

"She was not eligible under our policy to receive conditional release. She is a repeat offender and our decision was based on security reasons. We consulted with the medical team and the Ministry of National Security and that decision was made," he said.

In terms of the child being sent out of prison Major Reese said; " ... it is our policy that at four months old the child would be sent to foster care. However our system is very much democratic as Creary was able to make a selection as to who she wanted the baby to be released to. We did not make that decision and it's quite unfortunate that the child had to die."

Major Reese said that Creary has been seeing their psychologist, Heather Guthrie-Smith. "She has even been assisted by the Stella Maris prison ministry, officers and other inmates," he said.