The question of whether a seven-year-old child was a victim of parental cruelty was raised in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday after the child's mother faced the court.

Charged with cruelty to child is Philicia Tobias who denied the allegations and is set to return to court on April 11.

A probation officer was assigned to the matter.

The crown is alleging that on the day of the incident, the defendant used a belt or another object to inflict a wound to the left eye of the child causing it to become bloodshot and swollen.

In contrast, the defendant explained that she was scolding the child because she misbehaved and the child hit her eye accidentally on a doorknob.

She also told the court that she did not realise the state of the child's eye until the following day.