A five year old girl was left bleeding and screaming after her father whipped her, allegedly because she was playing with his mobile phone.
The girl’s father was arrested on Monday (August 24) and released on bail the next day.
He was expected to appear in Nukunuku Magistrate’s Court today (August 27).
Police have removed the child from her parents’ home and a court order has been put in place prohibiting the father from getting access to her.
A police officer attending a family function at the neighbour’s house called Police 922 emergency number while a woman was sent to the Nukunuku Police station to report the incident but Police did not respond immediately, according to the witness.
It was only when photographs of the little girl’s bruised and scarred back went viral on Facebook the next day that Police acted.
The images were uploaded to Facebook by Sharon Nora Fiu.
Fiu said on her Facebook page that she was attending a family reunion at Nukunuku on Sunday (August 23).
About 4pm, while they were serving a meal, they heard the girl crying and calling for Samiu, the owner of the neigbouring house.
Fiu and other women came out and found the girl crying and saying she had been beaten by her father, Sione. Fiu said the girl begged to be allowed to stay because she was scared of him.
She said she broke down when she saw the condition of the child and assured her she was in safe hands.
Fiu said she was devastated by the situation.
She said she saw the girl’s father clench his fists when he arrived at the neighbour’s house and demanded his daughter be returned.
She said the neighbour denied his demand and said Police had been called. Sione then agreed to leave.
While the girl was being washed and calmed down, her mother appeared at the house. The girl was hidden and her mother agreed to leave and go home.
The main points
- A five year old girl was left bleeding and screaming after her father whipped her, allegedly because she was playing with his mobile phone.
- The girl’s father was arrested on Monday (August 24) and released on bail the next day.
- He was expected to appear in Nukunuku Magistrate’s Court today (August 27).
- Police have removed the child from her parents’ home and a court order has been put in place prohibiting the father from getting access to her.
