The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

ALLEGED child abductor De’Edra Michelle Gibson was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday with abducting four little boys, one as young as three, from various places in New Providence between February and March.

The 29-year-old appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney to face four counts of abduction stemming from allegations that she abducted three eight-year-old boys and a three-year-old between February 16 and March 29.

Prior to the charges being read, however, her attorney, Howard Thompson Jr, indicated to the court that his client has a history of mental health issues. In fact, Mr Thompson said just last October, Gibson spent some time in the psychiatric ward of the Brookdale University Hospital in New York.

Furthermore, Mr Thompson said he has received legal instructions from Gibson that have ranged from “incomprehensible” to “bizarre”. This, he said, was as recently as yesterday morning, when he visited her at the Central Detective Unit (CDU).

Thus, he said, proceeding with the arraignment in the normal fashion would not be prudent, and that a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether Gibson is mentally fit to comprehend the legal proceedings and allegations mounted against her would be appropriate given the circumstances.

Magistrate McKinney noted Mr Thompson’s claims, and said he would not require Gibson to enter a plea to the charges, nor would she be made to elect whether to have the matter tried in the Magistrate’s or Supreme Court.

He remanded the woman to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) and adjourned the matter to May 13, at which time a psychiatric report will be presented to the court on Gibson’s mental fitness.