Bob Marley's daughter on child cruelty charge

46-year-old Marley surrendered to police and was released on station bail. The bail was extended when she appeared in court yesterday. (File photo)

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday October 27, 2010 – Sharon Marley, the daughter of late reggae legend, Bob Marley has pleaded not guilty to a charge of cruelty to a six-year-old autistic boy.

Marley, who is also a former member of the Melody Makers, entered the plea yesterday in the Family Court, a few days after she allegedly abused the child at the Total Care Learning Centre.

She will return to court on November 8th.

Police had received a complaint from the boy’s mother, who is also an employee at the centre, that last Thursday while the child was playing with a toy, Marley took him into a room. She said her son could be heard screaming and he emerged crying and with several bruises on his body.

A day later, the 46-year-old Marley surrendered to police and was released on station bail. The bail was extended when she appeared in court yesterday.

The court appearance came on the same day that her sister, 28-year-old Makeda Marley, received seven years probation for growing marijuana at her home in Pennsylvania, United States. Police had found 11 plants in the basement of her house.

A judge had given her the choice of either the long probation period or two to 23 months in prison.

During her probation period she will have to undergo random drug tests and has been ordered to stay away from drug users.

Violation of the probation would land her in a state prison for 15 to 59 months.

The younger Marley was the last of the late reggae singer’s 13 children.

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