A female teacher, Madam Hellen Serwaa has been arrested by the Police in Ahafo Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipal for putting a nine-year-old girl’s hand into hot water.
Confirming the arrest, the Ahafo Regional DOVVSU Coordinator, ASP Mavis Perfect Kamassah, explained that the victim is an adopted daughter to the suspect’s husband.
The victim, who was named after the suspect’s husband, was brought to Goaso to live with her adopted parents and school there since her [biological] parents resided in the village.
“The suspect admitted that the girl is not a bad girl but her lifestyle has changed recently. The suspect said that of late the girl has been stealing money and other things. The victim took GHc2 for food and when she admitted to the theft, the suspect boiled hot water and kept her hand in it and it has affected the girl”, ASP Kamassah narrated.
She added that after the incident, which is believed to have occurred about three weeks ago, the suspect was treating the hand at home and given the nature of ‘deterioration’ doctors are suggesting a referral to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
According to the DOVVSU Coordinator, “the suspect was released yesterday on bail because she is a nursing mother and breastfeeding a six-month-old baby. But for things to be done in an appropriate way, we refer to court for court to direct her custody…”
The mother of the victim Madam Adwoa also explained that she received a report from a friend and when she saw the child, she wept.
“I questioned my daughter but she lied to me out of fear. I later confronted the suspect but she told me stories and admitted that she was wrong to have hidden the incident from us.”
Madam Adwoa stated that the suspect did not want her [Adwoa] to take the child away fearing the consequences of her action should the incident become public.
The Ahafo Regional DOVVSU Coordinator also admitted that there are a lot of abuse cases in the region and took the opportunity to advise parents to report any incident of abuse.
