DIRTY DOG WHO HAD VIDEO WITH 6YO IN HIS PHONE HANGED HIMSELF

PREDATOR DEAD

SECURITY guard Che Callen- der, 31, who was being hunted by police in connection with the sexual assault of a five-year-old girl – after video and photograph- ic images of the child engaging in sex acts with him were found in his cellular phone – was found hanging yesterday afternoon from a length of rope attached to the branch of a mango tree in a ceme- tery in Princes Town.
Callender’s last known address was St Julien Village in Princes Town. Police believe he hanged himself sometime yesterday knowing that a police dragnet was fast closing in on him. It brings to an end a sordid, despicable tale of a man who while out on bail for a rape charge, preyed repeatedly on an innocent child unknown to her mother, with whom he was involved in a relationship.
According to reports, at about 2 pm yesterday, a man who was walking near the cemetery in hians Road, Princes Town when he saw a rope attached to the branch of a mango tree in the cemetery. On closer scrutiny, the man saw Callender’s body hanging from a length of rope. Officers of Princes Town Police Station were contact- ed along with the District Medical Officer and the body was cut down from the tree by undertakers.
A small group of persons gathered at the scene to view the body, but no one knew at that point in time that it was a person wanted in connection with the sexual assault of the girl. However, when detective Inspector Don Gajadhar of Southern Division arrived at the scene, he himself confirmed Callender’s identity as it was he (the Inspector) who arrested and charged Callender in 2011, for the rape and robbery of a woman. That matter was pending in the Princes Town Magistrates Court.
The body was viewed by the DMO who ordered it removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for an autopsy. Relatives of the dead man were contacted and informed. Officers found a cell phone, a small amount of cash and sweets in the man’s pants pockets.
‘THANK GOD, HE DEAD’
Police sources told Newsday that when the girl’s mother was contact- ed and told that her ex-boyfriend was found dead, she exclaimed “thank God he dead!”, while others in the family cried tears of relief. Counselling for both the child and her mother continued yesterday by trained counsellors from the Police Service’s Victims of Crime Support Unit and the Child Protection Unit (CPU).
Last Sunday, the child’s mother discovered a video of her engaging in oral sex with Callender whom she (the child) affectionately and trustingly referred to as ‘uncle’. The hysterical woman confronted Cal- lender and showed him the video. He ran out of the woman’s house in Rio Claro and escaped. Until he was discovered hanging, Callender was on the run from police.
Newsday was told that the wom- an immediately contacted the Rio Claro police and told them of the discovery. The child was taken to a health centre where she was medical examined. Questioned by police and CPU officials in her mother’s presence, the child became agitated, saying she was told by her ‘uncle’ not to tell anyone what he was doing to her or else she would get into deep trouble.
Comforted and assured by her mother, the child then told investigators all that had been taking place between her and ‘uncle’. Callender’s cellular phone was handed over to investigators of the Police Cyber Crimes Unit who on examining the phone’s sim card contents, they discovered more video and pho- to images of the child naked with Callender. Another video showed him over her as he tried to sexually penetrate her.
Sources said that the child’s mother is an emotional wreck, being overtaken by deep feelings of guilt in trusting a man who would later assault her child. Sources add- ed that it would take a prolonged period of counselling for both mother and child to get over this traumatic period of their lives. Po- lice sources said that when next the rape and robbery charges are called in court, Insp Gajadhar would then produce the death certificate to the court following which, the case would come to an end.