A woman Ogochukwu Anichukwu has been arrested in Anambra State for pouring hot water on her eight-year-old maid Chiamaka Oha for allegedly licking her baby’s milk.
The child is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Uga, Anambra after being rescued.
It was gathered that the victim who hails from Ugwueme community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State lived with her employer and the husband in their house at Nanka community in Orumba North LGA of Anambra.
The incident was alleged to have occurred on September 25.
Mrs Anichukwu allegedly shut the door on her maid after pouring hot water on her to prevent neighbours from seeing the injuries.
A neighbour who visited Anichukwu saw the maid’s condition and reported the matter to a non-governmental organisation Human Rights Legal Aid Initiative.
It was gathered that the NGO rushed the victim to a medical facility in the area before a group known as Awgu Egbeleli Socio-Cultural Development and Unity Forum transferred the victim to a general hospital.
A member of the group Chidi Okoh spoke with PUNCH. He said they moved swiftly after seeing a video of the girl on social media.
“The neighbours confirmed to have seen the girl eating sand on several occasions because of starvation,” he said.
“When we asked the woman why she poured hot water on the victim, she said she was bathing her baby and didn’t know when the hot water poured on her; her husband admitted to beating and inflicting injuries on her.”
Ekwuloba zonal coordinator of Human Rights Legal Aid Initiative Akaneme Chijioke alleged the woman damaged the child’s fingernails with a hard object, leaving her with injuries on her face and mouth also.
Although, Anambra police spokesman Haruna Mohammed said he was not aware of the matter, it was gathered the couple had been arrested after the case was reported at the Uga area command.
