A 12-year-old girl endured a severe burn and permanent injury to her index finger after relatives she lived with punished her for allegedly stealing N500. The incident came to light after a police officer brought the child to a pediatric emergency unit roughly 10 days after the initial injury.
Physician Tortiv Samuel Msev reported that the girl, who was sent from her village home to stay with relatives in town, faced a brutal form of discipline. The family held her finger in fire as retribution for the missing money. Despite the severity of the wound, the girl was compelled to maintain her household chores without medical treatment.
Neighbors eventually intervened to save the girl and notified law enforcement. Later, it was discovered that one of the family members had actually stolen the money, meaning the child was punished for a crime she did not commit. Dr. Msev noted that the girl will carry both physical and emotional scars from this abuse throughout her life, serving as a reminder of the failure of the adults responsible for her safety.
