7-Year-Old Slumps At School After Guardian Sends Her to School On Empty Stomach

Doctors are reportedly battling to save the life of a malnourished seven-year-old primary two pupil identified as Ifechukwu Jubilee who slumped and lost consciousness in school last Friday after her guardian allegedly sent her to school on an empty stomach.

Ifechukwu was reportedly woken up from sleep last Friday morning and asked to carry out chores before leaving for school. She however strayed into one of the rooms in the apartment and slept off. This was said to have pissed off her aunt who resorted to beating her and sent her to school without eating. The primary 2 pupil left home in tears, only to slump hours after getting to school.

According to Vanguard, neighbours said her guardian identified as Ngozi, who was arrested following the incident, beats the girl said to be her niece, at the slightest provocation. The victim is said to have visible marks of violence all over her body as a result.

The neighbours added that Ngozi’s knack for constantly beating the girl usually led to arguments between her and her husband, who often frowned at his wife’s maltreatment of the girl.

One of the teachers, who preferred to be anonymous, said: “She looked very pale and weak when she came to school, with her hands swollen and injuries in some parts of her body. It was when she fainted that we knew something was wrong. When she came out of coma, her first words were that she was hungry and narrated how her aunt usually beat her with a hard object. We thank God she did not die in the school. How would we have been able to explain that kind of situation?”

Her husband, who has always condemned the constant assaults on the poor girl, reportedly visited her at the police station and told her not to set her feet in his house again.

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He said: “Only God knows what I am going through in my wife’s hands. I have cautioned her several times over the manner she beats the little girl. This is the last straw.”

Meanwhile, a non-governmental organization, Women Right and Health Project, has promised to follow up the investigation and ensure the victim was safe.

The suspect, a pregnant 25-year-old mother of one, wept profusely as she begged for mercy, claiming she acted out of anger and had been taking good care of the girl. She was released because of her pregnancy.