Accused child killer remanded

CLARK'S TOWN, Trelawny — Marvia Patterson, the woman charged with murder for the beheading of four-year-old Natasha Brown last week, was remanded into custody when she appeared in the Clark's Town Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Accused child Murderer Marvia Patterson being escorted by Police officers from the Clarks Town RM Court

Patterson, 42, a labourer of Duanvale in the parish, is booked to reappear in court on August 2.

The matter was scheduled for the Falmouth Resident Magistrate's Court but was moved to Clark's Town at the "last minute", after the police reportedly received information that persons were planning to attack the accused, the Jamaica Observer learned.

But the transfer of the case to the sugar cane belt of Clark's Town did not prevent scores of persons from gathering in the precincts of the courthouse, which adjoins the Clark's Town Police Station. There, the boisterous crowd, under the watchful eyes of a large contingent of lawmen, hurled abuses and threats at Patterson.

"Let her out mek wi beat her; she is wicked; she is eating taxpayers' money," said an irate member of the crowd, when Patterson arrived in an unmarked grey Toyota Carolla motor car in the courtyard, under tight security.

Clad in an orange dress, white cap, black slippers and sporting a striped sweater, Patterson remained calm in court, and showed no remorse when the allegations against her were read.

In fact, her pleasant demeanour was in stark contrast to the scores of irate persons who had waited patiently outside the courthouse for her arrival.

The court was told that on the morning of May 28 about 8:30, Natasha's mother, Mervilyn Graham, accompanied her daughter a little distance from the Duanvale Basic School -- which she attended -- and returned home, hoping that the child would make it on her own to school.

But Natasha did not make it to school that morning, the court was told.

It is alleged that Patterson, who was later seen talking to the child and holding her hands, took her to bushes in Farkland and severed her head from the body.

It is further alleged that she then placed the head in a black scandal bag which she took to Faith Avenue in the farming community of Duanvale, a few metres from where she resides, and threw it into a sinkhole.

Hours later that day, Patterson was held by the police in the Falkland area and taken into custody.

The following morning Natasha's head and body were retrieved from the sinkhole.

And last Saturday, the chopper believed to be the murder weapon was also retrieved from the sinkhole.

The court was also told that Patterson reportedly told investigators that Graham was destroying the relationship she had with Natasha's father, adding that the father was not supporting the child she had borne for him.

The August 2 date was set by Resident Magistrate Icolyn Reid, after it was revealed that the case file on the matter was incomplete.

Patterson is being represented by attorney Winston Douglas.

Meanwhile, Margaret Riley Morrison, who told reporters that she is a relative of Graham, said family members have been trying their best to cope with the brutal murder of Natasha.

"The family has been getting counselling and prayers from a number of church members and friends, so although it is rough we are trying our best to cope," said Riley Morrrison.