Girl, 12, Suffers Permanent Deformity After Alleged Punishment Over ₦500

A 12-year-old girl has suffered severe burns and permanent deformity to her index finger after she was allegedly punished by a family she was staying with over an accusation that she stole ₦500.

The incident was disclosed by a doctor working at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Tortiv Msen, in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

He said he was the doctor on call when the girl was brought to the emergency paediatric unit by a middle-aged female police officer, about 10 days after she sustained the burn.

According to Msen, the girl's parents lived in a village and had sent her to stay with another family in town.

"The girl's parents live in a village, so she has been sent to stay with another family in town. That family accused her of stealing ₦500," he said.

He alleged that the family subjected the girl to severe punishment by burning her finger, leaving it permanently deformed.

"They subjected her to a hellfire punishment, burning her finger until it was deformed," he said.

The doctor said the girl was subsequently made to continue carrying out household chores despite the injury and without receiving proper wound care.

"They forced her to continue house chores without wound care even as her finger worsened. No pain compares to that of a burn," he said.

Msen said it took the intervention of neighbours to rescue the girl and alert the police.

He added that a subsequent investigation revealed the girl was not responsible for the missing money, as one of the family members allegedly confessed to taking it.

"It was later found out that one of the family members, who confessed to the police, took the money and not the poor girl," he said.

The doctor said the incident had remained with him, expressing concern over the treatment of children entrusted to the care of other adults.

"That moment stayed with me," he said.

He said the girl would likely carry the physical reminder of the alleged abuse for the rest of her life.

"The little girl will grow up with a deformed finger constantly reminding her of how below the bare minimum adults around her fell," Msen said.

Msen urged parents to look beyond material possessions and pray for the strength and longevity to remain present in their children's lives.

"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," he said.