A three-year-old girl, Abolore Haliya, who attended a private school on Idoluwo Street, Dosunmu, Lagos Island, has died after she was allegedly made to sit on a hot water container by her class teacher simply identified as Maryam.
According to reports, the incident which occurred on October 21, allegedly inflicted burns in her buttocks and private parts and she was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment.
Haliya, after two weeks, was moved to the Gbagada General Hospital, for further treatment. She however, died afterwards.
It was gathered that the matter was reported at the Adeniji Adele Police Division and Maryam has already been arrested, Punch reports.
Mrs. Bose Shomoade, the school proprietress, was also said to have been invited for questioning by the police, and made to pay parts of the treatment expenses.
Haliya’s father, Abolore, speaking on the incident, said he took the incident as a mistake on the part of the teacher, who knew the container had hot water, and made his daughter to sit on it, adding that the school brought an undisclosed sum of money for the girl’s treatment before she eventually died.
According to Abolore, “She was first taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital. Later, she was taken to the Gbagada General Hospital. We have spent about N300, 000 on her treatment.
“The proprietress gave us N5, 000 on the day of the incident. One week later, she visited the girl. She gave some money to my wife’s mother as well.
“My wife is distraught. She has been taken to our family house in Kwara State. Haliya is our jewel. We are so sad to lose her,” Abolore added.
“The school teacher has been arrested and detained after the matter was reported at the Adeniji Adele division. The teacher was careless. She knew the container was used to keep hot water and she still sat her on it. All my daughter’s private parts were burnt. She was asked to sit on a container containing hot water.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lola Vivour Adeniy, the Coordinator, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, said they had written to the state Ministry of Education to investigate the school.
“It is sad,” she said. “The abuse of the three-year-old occurred when she suffered horrific burns. She was made to sit on a container of hot water in her school. We have just been informed of her death.
“Apparently, she stopped responding to treatment and the pain was too severe. We have also informed the Ministry of Education about the incident,” Lola added.
Speaking anonymously, a doctor in the hospital said, “The girl died due to complications from the burns.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, giving his reaction on the incident, said the teacher had been arrested.
Offor said, “The teacher was arrested and the matter was transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation for further investigation. The suspect has been charged to court by operatives at the State Department of Criminal Investigation, SDCI.”
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