Kingston Labourer Gets Six Years for Beating Stepson to Death Over Slow Eating

St Catherine, Jamaica — A Kingston labourer who mercilessly beat his four-year-old stepson for over two hours because the boy was eating too slowly has been sentenced to six years in prison for manslaughter.

The sentence was handed down by Justice Bertram Morrison in the St Catherine Circuit Court last Thursday, sending shockwaves through the community of Willowdene, Spanish Town, where the incident unfolded.

The convicted man, Shaun Bennett, 24, of Willowdene Through Way, was initially charged with unlawful wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, cruelty to a child, and child abuse following the brutal beating of young Nashaun Brown on Sunday, July 18, 2021.

Reports are that on the day of the incident, little Nashaun complained of feeling unwell and was given a meal by his mother. While the child was eating, Bennett reportedly grew angry at how slowly he ate, grabbed a stick, and launched into a vicious attack that lasted for more than two hours.

The child’s mother tried to intervene but was also assaulted by Bennett, witnesses said.

Shortly afterward, Nashaun became unresponsive and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The case left many in the Spanish Town community outraged, calling for justice for the innocent child whose life was cut short by violence.

Bennett was taken into custody the same day and first appeared before the St Catherine Parish Court on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, while police awaited the results of a post-mortem examination to determine whether additional charges should be laid.

After the post-mortem confirmed the boy died from blunt-force trauma, Bennett was indicted for manslaughter.

On Thursday, Justice Morrison delivered the sentence, citing the brutality of the act but also noting Bennett’s guilty plea and expressions of remorse.

Community members and family of Nashaun gathered outside the court, many tearful as they reflected on the tragic loss of the young boy.

Police continue to urge Jamaicans to seek help to manage anger and conflicts, reminding the public that no child deserves to be treated in such a cruel manner.