Man denies killing one-year-old girl

A man charged with manslaughter in the death of his then girlfriend’s one-year-old daughter pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday.

Prosecutors have accused Avery Hutchinson of causing the death of Joyce Fleuridor in Exuma on March 8, 2020.

Hutchinson and his lawyer Christina Galanos appeared for the arraignment before Senior Justice Bernard Turner via Zoom.

The arraignment was postponed due to questions about the validity of the voluntary bill of indictment that sent the case to the Supreme Court.

But a recent Court of Appeal decision that said a non-legal practitioner can sign a VBI on behalf of the DPP gave Turner the green light to proceed with the arraignment.

Turner assigned the case to Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson. He will appear before her court on February 9.

Meanwhile, Turner has deferred the arraignment of the dead child’s mother, Guetly St. Fleur.

She, too, appeared in court via Zoom.

St. Fleur, who recently gave birth to another child, held the swaddled baby on her chest as the infant gurgled loudly.

Turner said he was not prepared to proceed with the arraignment with the child present. Although some court hearings are held remotely, participants are expected to behave as if they are in the precincts of the court.

The judge told St. Fleur that her arraignment will take place before Grant-Thompson on February 9.

She was previously represented by Bjorn Ferguson.

St. Fleur told the court that she was unable to pay Ferguson because she was unemployed; however, she said she intended to make payment arrangements as soon as she got a job.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/man-denies-killing-one-year-old-girl/