#Protectthechild: Humanity Gone as Adoptive Parent Maims Adopted Child In the Most Inhumane Way for Been Too Stubborn

Mrs Nkechi Bartholomew, a childless woman and seamstress, adopted Faith Nwanja and took her to Onitsha, Anambra State, when she was eight years old.

The Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, who briefed newsmen on the ordeal of the 12-year-old maid, said Faith was tortured and mutilated by her mistress, New Telegraph learnt.

Narrating her ordeal, the girl said her Nkechi always tortured her with sticks, hot iron and other dangerous weapons for being too stubborn. She would chain her up and was allowed only one meal a day in the evenings.

She narrates…

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“My madam, Bartholomew, disfigured me like this. I was a full-fledged human being when she took me to Onitsha, Anambra State. She poked her fingers in my eyes and inflicted these injuries on me.

In this my mouth, she usually uses stones and puts inside it. She said I don’t normally brush my teeth and since I cannot do it, I must always suffer for it.

The husband has never beaten me; he always gets annoyed seeing me being tortured by his wife. At times, he will summon courage and quarrel with his wife because the wife is bigger than the man.

My madam used to lock me inside a dark room after beating me up. I was taken home by my madam’s sister, who told her to take me home but she refused.

My madam used to tell me that nothing will happen if I die; that she will spend her money and regain freedom if she is arrested, if anything happens to me. I was attending school in the village before she took me to Onitsha.

But since four years that I went to Onitsha, I have not gone to school. I only eat in the evening every day.

My madam used to insert stick into my private part. She says I am stubborn. After beating me up, she will bring to gallons and placed my two legs. She will tie my legs on them and insert stick into my private part.”

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Briefing journalists yesterday, Head of Department, Child Development of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Godwin Igwe, disclosed that Faith who had bloodied mouth, has also lost one of her hands to torture following her health condition which worsened.

“The child has been undergoing medical examination by team of expert gynaecologists, a team of orthopaedic doctors, a team of expert opmologists because of serious harm inflicted on her reproductive system, her hand, her ear, her teeth all over.

Last week, her medical examination was concluded and the hospital management said the report will be released to the police as soon as it is demanded”, he said.

News Telegraph reported that Igwe accused the state Police command, of refusing to arraign the suspect.

“The woman who perpetrated the crime was arrested by the police. The police had made attempt in March to arrest the woman in Onitsha and she escaped.

The woman was taken to court on Monday and she was not arraigned, she was later brought back. The police assured us that the woman will be taking to court again today (Tuesday) which they did not do.

That woman should be taking to the court of competent jurisdiction for accelerated justice because justice delayed is justice denied.

Preliminary medical reports show that the child will undergo series of plastic surgery because of part of the ear that has been chopped off, the head that has been mutilated, the mouth that has been mutilated” he said.

Faith hails from Okoffia, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. She was eight years old when Mrs Bartholomew of Idembia in the local government area of the state took her to Onitsha, Anambra state as house help.

Before she took Faith away, there was arrangement that the girl’s relatives must sit down and discuss it but the woman allegedly refused to adhere to the agreement and took away Faith to Onitsha.

When the girl’s mother, Ngozi, came back from the farm, she could not see Faith. She asked her neighbours who told her that Nkechi has taken Faith to Onitsha.

Ngozi and her husband insisted that their daughter must be taken back home to officially hand her (Faith) over to her (Nkechi).

But Nkechi said there was no cause for alarm and promised to adequately take care of the girl. But Faith was subjected to all manner of inhuman treatment, including chaining and torture by Nkechi, who married some years ago but childless.

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Faith’s mother said since Nkechi took away her daughter last four years, she has refused to allow her see Faith. She also alleged that Nkechi did not follow due process before taking away Faith.

“Before she adopted my daughter, I was having her phone number. I called her once when she left with my daughter and she asked me who gave me her contact. I asked her were you not the one that gave me your contact?

I told her you have my contact and I also have yours and she replied that she will call me back that she was in her shop and she switched off her line immediately.

Since then, she has not called me again. I have been trying her line since then and it kept saying ‘switched off’.

I became worried and met her mother one day. I pleaded with her mother to give me Nkechi’s contact with which she interacts with her(mother) so that I can speak with my daughter and know when she will come home so that I can see her.

The mother told me that Nkechi is no longer using a phone which heightened my worries. I asked the mother when her daughter will come home, so that I can see Faith.

She told me that Nkechi usually come home every January and in that January, I always come to her place to know if she returned and I don’t usually see her.”