Police arrest heartless mother for inflicting razor blade cuts on 13-year-old daughter

By JULIUS OSAHON, Yenagoa

Operatives of the Ekeki Division of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a 35-year-old woman on the School Road in Okutukutu, a suburb of Yenagoa, for inflicting life-threatening injuries with razor blade on her teenage daughter, Ebimi Tokoye, over missing N1,500.

The mother, identified as Priye Richman, trading in bread loaves popularly known as “Madiga” was reported to have tied her daughter down and slashed every part of the body with razor blade over allegation she took her money.

The doctors who operated on her at the police hospital said the child was brought with multiple lacerations. She also sustained deep slash to her buttocks and shoulder.

Narrating her ordeal, the teenager, who is an indigene of Okpokunu in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, said, “My mother came back around 12noon on Sunday after church, and accused me of stealing her N1,500 and I denied because I didn’t see the money. She started beating me and tied me with ropes. She started slashing all parts of my body with razor blade. She later rubbed pepper and kerosene on the injuries.

A neighbour pushed down the door and rescued me. The incident lasted over two hours. The angry neighbour later called members of the Girl Child Advocacy groups, who took charge of the girl and arrested the mother. She was handed over to the police.

The president of the Foundation, Dise Sheila Ogbise, condemned rising cases of domestic violence against children in the state.

“We condemn these rising cases and call on the members of JUSUN to quickly call off their strike to allow the quick prosecution of this case to deter others from engaging in the wicked acts of violence against their children,” she said.

Also reacting, the President of the Izon Ladies Association, Yenagoa branch, Grace Koroye, described the incident as pathetic and wicked.

She said: “We support the rescue of the girl and condemn the attack on the girl child. We call for the quick resolution of the case.”

Contacted on the development yesterday, the spokesman for the   confirmed the development and said the accused was in police custody.

(The Guardian, only text excluding headline)