Phoenix assault victim to be cared for at a place of safety once discharged
Social Development says the 4-year-old Phoenix girl who was severely beaten, allegedly by her mother and her boyfriend will be moved to a place of safety upon her release from hospital.
The child was assaulted to the point of unconsciousness over two weeks ago, apparently for stepping on the shoe of her mother's 20-year-old boyfriend.
A video of the incident shows the 25-year-old woman repeatedly punching and kicking the little girl who is huddled on the floor.
KZN Social Development's Ncumisa Ndelu says it was a shocking and cowardly act.
"What we see in that video is the bear down of a little girl by a grown woman and I can tell you it is scary for me watching, and it would have been so much worse for her. It is unacceptable. It can never be acceptable," she said.
Ndelu says officials from Phoenix Child Welfare are providing the little girl with trauma counselling.
She says they hope the mother and her partner will be severely punished by the courts.
"We totally understand the outrage. That should never have happened, but it has, so let us now help her heal from it. We can do that by giving the health workers working with her space to ensure that she recovers," she said.
A video of the incident shows the 25-year-old woman repeatedly punching and kicking the little girl who is huddled on the floor.
KZN Social Development's Ncumisa Ndelu says it was a shocking and cowardly act.
"What we see in that video is the bear down of a little girl by a grown woman and I can tell you it is scary for me watching, and it would have been so much worse for her. It is unacceptable. It can never be acceptable," she said.
Ndelu says officials from Phoenix Child Welfare are providing the little girl with trauma counselling.
She says they hope the mother and her partner will be severely punished by the courts.
"We totally understand the outrage. That should never have happened, but it has, so let us now help her heal from it. We can do that by giving the health workers working with her space to ensure that she recovers," she said.