Woman pours hot water on niece for disobeying her

A mother of one, Mrs Oyinye Odoh, has allegedly poured hot water on her niece for flouting her orders.
The suspect, who has now been arrested by the Police, allegedly poured the hot water from a kettle, which she took off from the cooker, on the young victim.
Our correspondent learnt that, prior to the incident, 13-year-old Esther Kalu, who had been living with her aunt for three years, had for the past two years been withdrawn from school.
It was gathered that following the attack, Esther had raised the alarm to attract neighbours as she writhed in pains, owing to the agonising effect of the hot water poured on her by her aunt.
Although the reason for the attack on the young girl could not be immediately ascertained, it was learnt that Mrs. Odoh allegedly poured the scalding water on the girl due to the victim’s alleged lackadaisical attitude to the situation of things in the house.
It was gathered that despite the severe burns Esther suffered as a result of the attack, the suspect and her husband, Mr. Uche Odoh, who is said to be a pharmacist, allegedly refused to take the young girl to the hospital for proper treatment.
After much criticism by neighbours, Odoh took the girl to a medical facility, but did not wait to settle the bill for her treatment. This, however, made it impossible for the victim to receive treatment at the hospital.
Relief only came the way of the little girl when a child protection activist, Mrs. Toyin Ojejinmi, intervened and pleaded with the doctor in charge of the facility to attend to Esther in order to save her life first.
Ojejinmi, however, gave an undertaking at the hospital that she would ensure that Odoh took full responsibility of the young girl’s
treatment.
The child protection activist told our correspondent, “Esther’s case was reported to me by some of the neighbours. I immediately decided to take up the matter. So, with the efforts of the neighbours and myself, we compelled the husband of the suspect to take the girl to the hospital, as they were initially reluctant
to do so.
“Having taken the girl to the hospital, Mr. Odoh abandoned the girl, because he would not want to pay the bills. As a result, the hospital decided not to treat the girl and, of course, her state was becoming worse. So, I pleaded with the doctor in charge to help save her life first and that I would make Odoh pay the bills. They complied and eventually
he paid.”
Also speaking on the matter, a neighbour, Mrs Bola Oyebade, said, “I can’t believe someone could do such a thing to a little girl; that was cruel. Before now, I had personally noticed that Esther had not been going to school, but I didn’t know why. When I asked her why she hadn’t been going to school, she said
nothing.”
Mr. Odoh, however, denied all the allegations levelled against him and his wife, saying, “It was an accident by the girl herself; my wife did not do it.”
Mrs. Odoh declined to speak on the matter.
The case has since been reported at Sholoki Police Division, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, and the suspect detained for a few
days.
The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the incident, adding, “The suspect will be prosecuted and punished for the wicked act.”