Chinese Woman Who Slapped a Trelawny School Girl Charged
A 53-year-old Chinese woman who slapped a Trelawny school girl was charged after the 30-second video went viral. Yuemei Pan operates a grocery store in Clarks Town and was seen in the video jostling the teen and accusing her of stealing.
When the matter was brought to court on December 7, Pan was arrested and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. Dancehall artiste Mr Vegas visited both the teenager and Pan this week to apologise on her behalf.
Yuemei Pan Apologises
The Chinese businesswoman at the centre of a viral video that appeared to show her slapping a teenage schoolgirl has apologised to the child. Yuemei Pan, 53, operates a grocery store in Clarks Town, Trelawny. In a video that has since gone viral, she is seen jostling the 13-year-old while accusing her of stealing an item from her shop. She was arrested the day after the 30-second clip was posted online.
The teenager tells the 53-year-old in the video that she does not steal and that the incident was a “misunderstanding gone really bad.” Dancehall artiste Mr Vegas also visited the teenager to offer his support. He recommended that the teen record an apology to Pan as it would be easier for her to deliver on camera.
The video was posted on social media earlier this month, sparking outrage and calls for the store operator’s arrest. Pan was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm but was freed from court this week when no evidence was offered. She has been granted bail extensions to allow her to pay the outstanding charges. The case will resume on January 8. In the meantime, Pan has closed her store after local residents staged a protest outside the business.
Bail Extensions
The 53-year-old woman who slapped a teen school girl in Clarks Town, Trelawny in a viral video has been granted bail extensions to enable her to make payments on the outstanding court charges. Yuemei Pan operates a grocery store in the area and is seen on the video jostling the 13-year-old girl and accusing her of stealing from her shop. She was arrested after the video went viral, sparking outrage in Jamaica and abroad. However, when she appeared at the Trelawny Parish Court this week, no evidence was offered and she was freed. Dancehall artiste Mr Vegas visited her in court to apologize on her behalf.
Court Frees Yuemei Pan
A Chinese businesswoman who slapped a 13-year-old girl in a grocery store was freed this week after no evidence was offered when she appeared in court. The 53-year-old Yuemei Pan was arrested on December 7 after a video of her assaulting the girl went viral. Pan was charged with Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm. She operates a shop on Main Street in Clarks Town, Trelawny.
On the same day, former Keelung City Council speaker Huang Ching-tai (Huang Jing Tai ) was found not guilty in a corruption case linked to sponsorship of a Rubber Duck art installation at Keelung Harbor. The court ruled that although the former mayor and property developer JSL Group (Jia Shan Lin) received financial benefits, they did not receive direct and reciprocal benefits.
The ruling overturned a previous decision by prosecutors that alleged Huang, as the city’s speaker, pressured property developers to donate money to support the Rubber Duck project in exchange for granting JSL Group a free luxury condominium as a family home. The deal violated regulations, but Wu overruled staff objections.
Office of the Children’s Advocate Launches Probe
The office of the Children’s Advocate is the independent watchdog that oversees agencies such as the Department of Children and Families to ensure children are receiving quality services. It also advocates for changes in state policy on behalf of the children. Christina Ghio joined the OCA in 2022 as associate child advocate, where she is responsible for directing the child focused operations of the office and overseeing intakes and systemic investigations.
Last month, the OCA launched a major operation called “Operation Safe Haven.” The goal of the operation was to review cases involving children who are missing or have been taken by their non-custodial parents. The operation brought together law enforcement professionals from Erie County and beyond, private-sector businesses, and nonprofit organizations to take a fresh look at the cases. The teams explored new leads, reviewed case files and leveraged technology to assist with their investigations.
One of the most critical functions of the OCA is to investigate and report on child fatalities in the state. Brendan serves as the lead for all matters relating to the Connecticut Child Fatality Review Panel which reviews unexpected and unexplained child deaths. Additionally, he is the Child Advocate’s principal investigator on any in-depth child fatality investigation requested by the CFRP, the Governor or conducted at the Child Advocate’s discretion. Brendan also represents the OCA on numerous statewide committees and national initiatives focused on prevention of child injury and death.
Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) are multidisciplinary teams that investigate and respond to allegations of child abuse. They provide child and family-centered services to children, their families, and communities by coordinating the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of children who have been abused or neglected and by providing training and education for the community on child abuse.
The National Children’s Alliance is the national association and accrediting body for a network of 961 Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the United States. NCA provides advocacy, support, quality assurance, training and technical assistance, publications, statutes, links, and networking opportunities for CACs to help them serve the needs of children and their families.
