A three-year-old girl is receiving emergency treatment at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba after suffering severe burns on her private parts, allegedly inflicted by her stepmother.
The stepmother, identified as Akaima, a Liberian national, is accused of pouring hot water on the child as punishment for bedwetting.
The girl had been sent by her father to spend the school vacation in Winneba, where the alleged abuse occurred.
The incident came to light when the girl’s mother went to retrieve her, only to find her unable to walk properly. Medical staff have since confirmed that the child sustained serious burns requiring complex treatment.
Child rights organisation Challenging Heights has stepped in to support the family with medical bills and is demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of both the stepmother and the father, who is alleged to have overseen the act.
The group further urged 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, to better safeguard vulnerable children.
DOVVSU, the lead agency in investigating child abuse cases, is expected to take up the matter to ensure justice.
Challenging Heights stressed that swift prosecution and increased resources for child protection agencies are crucial to preventing similar abuses in the future.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Yaw Boagyan
