Mother ties child to roof upside-down

The curiosity of two female strangers at the weekend led to a dramatic rescue of an eight-year-old girl, who had been tied up-side-down to the roof bars by her mother, apparently, as a punishment for allegedly stealing an earring worth Shs500.

It was about 2:30pm when two women who were walking past the house heard a feeble voice crying for help in a locked room. The voice was of a pupil of Kabingo Primary School in Mpigi District. She had been tied at the legs and arms and left alone in that position for more than six hours, the police said.

Ms Rachael Nakiganda, a witness, said the women grew suspicious and called a police officer to ascertain what the matter was with the crying child in a locked room.

“The officers came and broke the padlock, only to find the child hanging on the bar in pain and could barely talk,” she said, adding that residents cut the ropes as police went after the child’s mother, who was at work.

The child was found with severe burns on her buttocks and hands, which she said were inflicted on her by her mother after accusing her of failing to do house chores. The child also had severe injuries around the wrist and legs and could barely talk. By last evening, she was still undergoing treatment and medical examinations.

Masaka Police community liaison officer Julius Musiime yesterday confirmed that they are holding the barmaid and food vendor, adding that they are waiting for a report from police surgeon before charging her with child torture, illegal confinement and causing bodily harm to a child.

The victim’s mother confessed to the police to have tied her daughter on the bar as a punishment for stealing and being naughty.

“My daughter had become a nuisance to society because she picked whatever property found at people homes,” the mother said in her statement to police.

Child abuse is high in Masaka. At least 30 cases have been reported this year alone.