Mother who killed baby told to seek God’s forgiveness
by Theron Boodan Tuesday 14th February, 1995A 24-YEAR-OLD mother charged with the murder of her five-month-old son, wept yesterday as she walked out of court on a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years.
While putting Avegale Dookie on the bond, Justice Richard Crane told her, “The court has shown you Christian kindness, but you will have to seek God's forgiveness.”
Dookie, had pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, when a failed suicide ended in the murder of her son Akeel.
She and her three-year-old daughter Brittney, survived the gramoxone drink on December 21, 1991 at their Sangre Grande home.
When Dookie came up for sentencing by Justice Richard Crane a he Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court, Probation Officer, Annette Brice, told the court that a custodian sentence would not serve any useful purpose in helping Dookie.
Brice recalled Dookie’s past and present problems involving her parents and common-law husband.
Brice pointed out that Dookie's mother, Angela Ramlogan, who has been separated from her father since Dookie was a little girl, is dying of cancer.
She pointed out that since Dookie was released on her own bail on January 25, she had been adjusting rapidly back into society and had also received two job offers.
Brice told the court, which includes State Prosecutor Evans Welch and defence attorney, George Martin, that several social service organisations such as Lifeline, are willing to work with Dookie and continue counselling her. In passing sentence, Justice Crane commended Martin for the manner in which he presented his case and also took into consideration the testimony of Dookie from the witness stand.
Apart from putting Dookie on the bond, Justice Crane also ordered that she visit the probation officer once a month for the next year. Dookie was greeted by relatives and friends as she left the courtroom.
Taken from Newsday