Margaret Joshua, an 11-year old maid, was tortured to death by a mother of two whose identity has yet to be revealed.
The suspect, a microbiologist working at one of Plateau State’s research institutes in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area, allegedly forced Joshua to sit in a bucket filled with hot water.
According to reports, the hot water burned the teenager’s buttocks, and she died in a hospital on Monday, November 14, 2022.
According to reports, the assault victim was from Kebbi State and escaped from insecurity in her town before being taken to serve in the suspect’s family home in Jos by a supposed helper.
According to a source, the suspect, in addition to beating the deceased, refused to enroll her in school because she had taken the girl.
Grace Pam, Plateau State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), whose office is investigating the assault, expressed conviction that given the number of scars and wounds on the deceased’s body, her mother of two must have constantly exposed her to a series of tortures while she was with the family.
“Our attention was drawn to the situation on Monday by a hospital staff member who said that an 11-year-old girl was severely beaten and injured by her guardian in Vom,” she said.
“The girl’s body was covered in scars and burns.”She was taken to Mandela hospital in Kaduna Vom before being referred to Jos, we were told.
“When some of our staff met with the suspect at the Vom Police Station where she was detained, she confessed to having beaten her and stated the girl used to masturbate, so she was disciplining her so she could stop.”
“She claimed she did not know what used to come over her because she felt bad anytime she beats the child.”
The assault case has, however, been transferred from the Police Station in Kaduna Vom to the Police Headquarters in Jos as investigations continue.
