American Charity Worker May Face Legal Action by ParrisWhittaker

Chiara Glinton has retained the services of Grand Bahama attorney Jacy Whittaker, of the ParrisWhittaker firm, who reportedly served a notice to Mardie Caldwell yesterday demanding that she remove the photograph of Glinton’s child from the website and destroy all photos Caldwell may have of the child.

The American charity worker who has been embroiled in a controversy in Long Island following posts on her Facebook page, may be facing legal action from the mother of a child whose photograph appeared on that page.

Chiara Glinton has retained the services of Grand Bahama attorney Jacy Whittaker, of the ParrisWhittaker firm, who reportedly served a notice to Mardie Caldwell yesterday demanding that she remove the photograph of Glinton’s child from the website and destroy all photos Caldwell may have of the child.

Caldwell told The Nassau Guardian last week that she received death threats from Bahamians because of her portrayal of the community of Dunmore on her Facebook page.

In The Nassau Guardian interview, Caldwell acknowledged that there were some generalizations made about Long Island on her page, which she apologized for, but maintained that much of the social work she does in the community is needed.

According to The Nassau Guardian, one of the photographs posted on Caldwell’s Facebook page showed a young girl with missing teeth, and the photo’s caption read: “No dental programs on the island.”

Many Bahamians who viewed the site took offense to Caldwell’s posts, saying she painted a negative picture of Long Island and the conditions in which the people there lived.

In the letter to Caldwell, Whittaker explained the basis for the demand.

“The manner in which the photograph has been broadcasted by you along with its caption on your profile page on the Facebook.com website is extremely inflammatory, untrue and defame our client and her child’s reputation,” it read.

“We request that you cease and desist from publishing the said photograph in any manner whatsoever, especially in a manner that implies that our client and her child are suffering any economic hardship.”

Whittaker claims that Caldwell did not receive permission from Glinton to publish the child’s image on the website and that continued use of it is unauthorized.

“Further, please be advised that our client is considering legal action against you with respect to the misuse of the image of our client’s child and we are prepared to enforce our client’s privacy rights against you in the USA and/or here in The Bahamas,” the letter read.
According to information on her website, Caldwell is an author, speaker, educator, certified adoption practitioner and the founder and director of the Lifetime Adoption Center.
Caldwell told The Nassau Guardian that one of the biggest challenges facing the community of Dunmore and some areas south of it, is getting clean, potable water to the residents.
She said she has focused much of her attention and money on this issue.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Long Island, Larry Cartwright, told The Nassau Guardian that Caldwell has made “a mountain out of a mole hill.”

Cartwright said he was in the settlement of Dunmore last month and received no serious complaints from the residents about any issues.

Attempts to contact Caldwell yesterday for confirmation on whether she received the attorney’s letter and for comments on the matter were unsuccessful as calls placed to her were not returned up to press time.

Article originally appears on Freeport News. Written by By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL, FN Senior Reporter, krystal@nasguard.com