ST. THOMAS — A man appeared before a V.I. Superior Court judge on Tuesday to face charges after surveillance footage obtained by police showed him assaulting his mother, according to court documents.

Mario A. Gumbs, age 51, was arrested and charged on December 26 with aggravated assault and battery as an act of domestic violence, and elderly abuse.

His arrest follows a report by his sister who told police that she observed her brother, Mario A. Gumbs, assaulting their mother on surveillance footage by hitting her in the head. She told police that she was advised to install cameras in the home which she did, as it was not the first time that Gumbs had verbally and physically assaulted his mother.

According to court documents, Gumbs is the only sibling who does not work and was assigned to be his mother’s caretaker. On December 26, Gumbs bought a rotisserie chicken from Cost U Less, fed his mother and left the residence. When he returned he noticed that his mother had not eaten the food. Surveillance footage showed Gumbs striking his mother with his hand, twice in the head, while calling her “stupid” and other derogatory names.

Contact was made with V.I.P.D. Forensic Unit officers who reviewed the surveillance footage and took pictures of the victim, who did not sustain any physical injuries.

Officers then made contact with Gumbs near the residence where he was arrested and taken into custody.

On Tuesday, a judge ruled that Gumbs would be released upon the posting of an unsecured bond of $1,000. Once posted, he will be given one opportunity to return to the home with the assistance of law enforcement officers to retrieve his personal belongings.

Gumbs has been barred from leaving the St. Thomas- St. John District without the court’s written permission and must report to the Office of Probation once a week. He was also ordered to stay at least 50 ft away from his mother.

Gumbs’s next court appearance is January 13, 2023.

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