Woman saves girl, 6 from life of abuse

The action of a woman who lodged a police report after suspecting child abuse, saved a six-year-old girl from continuing to be abused by her mother and her mother's female friend.

Kuala Muda District deputy police chief Supt Saifi Abdul Hamid said the 27-year-old complainant was contacted by her friend, who was also the victim's mother, asking to stay temporarily at her house.

"At 4.30pm, on Saturday, the complainant was asked to fetch the mother and the victim at a house in Taman Lembah Bujang Utama, Merbok, after a disagreement with the housemate.

"When they were at the complainant's house in Bandar Amanjaya, the victim complained of pain on her body and upon inspection bruises were found on the buttocks, back, right thigh and both sides of the cheek," she told reporters, here, today.

Saifi said, a day after the complainant was again asked by the victim's mother to send her and her daughter back to the house in Taman Lembah Bujang Utama.

"However, the complainant found the child was frightened and refused to follow her mother back to the house and she suspected the child was being abused," he said.

It was found that the child was not only often beaten with a cane and hangers, but also locked up in the room while the mother and her female friend went to work.

The victim's 29-year-old mother and her 26-year-old female friend, have since been detained to assist in investigations.

The victim has now been placed under the care of the Social Welfare Department, Saifi said.

-- BERNAMA