Girl suffers deformed finger after family burns her over N500

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Young black girl counts to 5 on her fingers, slow motion, shallow depth of field

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By Mary Agbabiaka

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A 12-year-old girl has suffered a severe burn and permanent deformity to her index finger after a family she was staying with allegedly punished her by burning the finger over an accusation that she stole N500.

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The incident occurred months ago when the girl was taken to an emergency paediatric unit by a middle-aged female police officer, about 10 days after she sustained the burn.

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According to the doctor, Tortiv Samuel Msev, who attended to her, the girl’s parents lived in a village and had sent her to stay with another family in town.

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The doctor said the family accused the girl of stealing N500 and subjected her to what he described as a “hellfire punishment,” burning her index finger until it became deformed.

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He said the girl was also forced to continue doing household chores without proper wound care, even as the injury worsened.

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“No pain compares that of a burn,” the doctor wrote, adding that it took the intervention of neighbours to rescue the girl and alert the police.

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The account took another turn when one of the family members reportedly confessed to the police that they had taken the money, proving that the child had been wrongly accused.

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Reflecting on the incident, the doctor said the experience had remained with him and made him reflect on the responsibilities of parents and other adults entrusted with the care of children.

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“That moment stayed with me”.

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“As parents, praying for longevity is beyond our cravings for the beautiful things of this world, but that we may be there and strong enough to care for our children”.

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The doctor expressed concern that the girl would have to live with the physical and emotional consequences of the abuse.

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“The little girl will grow up with a deformed finger constantly reminding her of how below the bare minimum adults around her fell,” he wrote.

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