Serena
Thirteen-year-old Serena Cox, who allegedly ran away from her Beasejour, Gros Islet home on May 31 and was later found in a house in Union, Castries occupied by three males, has been released from foster care.
A source told St Lucia News Online (SNO) today (July 7) that the teenager is now in the care of her father and sister.
Cox was placed under protection by the Human Services Ministry when police found her, and was released later that month.
Serena’s guardian was accused of mistreating her, but a close family friend had told SNO that the teenager had all the luxury that a teenager would want and she was never mistreated by her guardians.
However, the family friend did said that Serena “did not respect the rules of her guardian’s house and did not seem to understand that her guardians could not allow her to go certain places or engage in certain activities for her own well-being”.
According to the family friend, it was not the first time that Serena disappeared from home.
“In my opinion she is the perfect definition of an at-risk teen. Her behaviour did not stem from her mother’s death as they are just finding out. She has been displaying such behaviour for a while,” the family friend explained.
Serena had been living with her guardians since April following the death of her mother from liver failure. Social Services had entrusted Serena in the care of the guardians.
A man was taken into custody for harbouring Serena. He was reportedly the only one at the house with Serena at the time of the arrest.
It is unclear whether the man accused of harbouring Serena was released or still in police custody.