VIPD Charges St. Thomas Man in Assault Involving 9-Year-Old

ST. THOMAS — A 37-year-old man has been charged with simple assault and child abuse after a reported assault involving a 9-year-old minor, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department.

VIPD said patrol officers were dispatched to Estate Nazareth at about 12:39 p.m. Friday, July 3, after a report that a minor had been assaulted. A family member told officers that Akeem Forbes had physically assaulted the child, police said.

According to VIPD, Forbes was retrieved Wednesday from the Bureau of Corrections, where he was being held on another matter, and was rearrested on the new charges. Police said he was booked, processed and returned to the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing scheduled for Thursday morning.

The case remains under investigation by VIPD’s Domestic Violence/Special Victims Unit. Anyone with information may call 911, Detective Walters at 340-715-5536 or the Office of the Chief of Police.

Source: Virgin Islands Police Department