The deceased identified as Angelina, was reportedly taken from her parents in far away Ogoja, Cross River state by Agnes, with a promise to send her to school, when she was barely four years old. Angelina, grew up calling her guardian mother, apparently unaware she was not her biological mother.
But things as gathered, fell apart for late Angelina after she turned 6, as she was reportedly made to carry out overwhelming house chores. Initial rebuff of such attitude from madam Rose who crime Alert learnt is related to Angelina’s mother, by neighbour was reportedly greeted with an outburst.
The dehumanising treatment on Angelina reached its peak last Friday, as she was reportedly beaten to death by her madam, for failure to carry out chores as instructed.
Investigation by Crime Alert revealed that on that fateful day, at about 5pm, Madam Agnes returned home screaming at the little girl whom neighbours said was not feeling too well. Madam Agnes reportAedly dragged Angelina into her apartment located on 75 Barracks lllane, Ajegunle and started beating her. The helpless girl was said to have shouted for help. But none was forth coming. Then, all of a sudden she seized crying.
Neighbours later became apprehensive after they sighted madam Agnes rush out of her room to a medicine store opposite the building. She reportedly came back with a nurse who went inside with her and rushed out again to get something.
At this point, a neighbour told Crime Alert during a visit at the building yesterday that “ we suspected all was not well. When the nurse came out , we asked what the problem was and she told us that Angelina had fainted. We all rushed inside, only to behold Angelina’s lifeless body on the ground.
On further observation, we discovered a pestle by the side with blood stain and we concluded she could have used it on Angelina”.
Another neighbour who also spoke on condition of anonymity said, “ We are not surprised at Angelina’s demise because madam Agnes had always threatened. At the slightest provocation, she would beat her with any object at her disposal. At times she would smash bottle on her head and at other times, she would use a stool on her. At a point we got angry but there was nothing we could do to alert Angelina’s biological parents”.
Asked why none of them bothered to report the abuse on Angelina to the Police, another neighbour replied, “ Police? You want madam Agnes to fight you? Even if you attempt to rescue Angelina from her grip whenever she was being beaten, Agnes would fight you and ask if you were her relative.
At a point, she resorted to locking the doors whenever she wanted to beat the girl, in order to prevent anyone from coming to her rescue”.
Everyone who spoke with Crime Alert described the late Angelina as a dutiful girl who never complained while carrying out any of the house chores. At times she reportedly missed schools in order to finish the chores before the arrival of her guardian. Most times neighbours said she would be made to finish the chores before taking her first meal either at noon or evening.
“Saturdays were the most hectic for the little girl as she would be made to wash her guardians clothes and those of her two grown children”.-
Vanguard
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