A 13 year old girl in Kanchanaburi province is rescued after her Myanmar mother scalded her with boiling water and prevented her from receiving treatment for several days.
The child abuse case came to light on July 23 after the village head alerted rescuers from the Pitakkarn Foundation to the incident at a home in Thong Pha Phum district. Rescuers visited the house and took the girl to Thong Pha Phum Hospital, where she is receiving treatment for extensive burns.
According to the village head, the assault occurred on July 17, but the girl’s mother, a 31 year old Myanmar national, kept her inside the house for two days without seeking medical treatment despite the severity of her injuries.
A neighbour told rescuers the girl had been subjected to previous abuse and provided videos showing earlier incidents.
Initially, the mother denied intentionally injuring the girl, claiming the child had accidentally spilled hot water on herself. The girl was reluctant to speak about the incident because she feared further abuse.
DailyNews reported that the mother later admitted to pouring boiling water over the girl after becoming angry that she ate two pieces of meat without permission. The information was not confirmed by officials.
According to the report, the mother also admitted tying the girl’s arms and legs before securing her to a house pillar and pouring the hot water over her.
The girl’s stepfather defended his wife, telling investigators the child had behavioural problems and had previously been accused of stealing from a neighbour. He claimed the punishment followed an argument over that issue.
Police took the accused to Thong Pha Phum Police Station for legal proceedings. The woman said she acted in anger and promised not to use violence against the girl again.
Police initially charged the Burmese woman with immigration-related offences for entering and living in Thailand illegally. Officers said they are continuing to gather evidence before determining additional charges relating to the child abuse.
The Pitakkarn Foundation said the girl sustained burns from her neck to her back. She remains in hospital, where she requires surgery and ongoing wound care. She is now under the protection of the Kanchanaburi Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office.
The story Burmese woman scalds daughter for allegedly eating without permission as seen on Thaiger News.
