Stepmother Pours Hot Water on Girl’s Private Parts for Bedwetting
Central Region,Ghana – A heart-wrenching incident of child abuse has shaken the Winneba community, leaving a three-year-old girl fighting for her life after her stepmother allegedly poured hot water on her private parts as punishment for bedwetting. The victim's mother recounted the horrifying discovery, stating that her daughter couldn't walk properly when she picked her up from her father's house in Winneba.
The mother, who had sent her daughter to spend the vacation with her father in Winneba from Swedru, revealed that her daughter confided in her about the stepmother's brutal act. "When I went to pick her up, I realised she couldn’t walk properly. When I examined her, I saw the burns. She told me her stepmother poured hot water on her for wetting her bed," the distraught mother said in an interview with Citi News.
Doctors at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba have confirmed that the injuries are severe and will require complex medical procedures. The child's condition is critical, and her life hangs in the balance. The hospital's medical team is working tirelessly to ensure the child receives the necessary care and treatment.
Child rights NGO Challenging Heights has stepped in to support the family with medical expenses and is demanding swift justice for the victim. The organization's Programmes Manager, Enock Dery Paafu, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the stepmother, identified as Akaima, a Liberian national. Paafu also criticized the father, stating that he should be held accountable for overseeing the cruelty.
Challenging Heights has urged the government to strengthen key child protection institutions, including the Department of Social Welfare, the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service. This incident highlights the need for robust measures to protect children from abuse and ensure perpetrators face the full weight of the law.
Source – Lead News Online/Leticia Okpoti
