HOUSEHELP BURNS CHILD WITH IRON BOX

A Dandora house help, who burnt two-year-old buttocks with an electric iron box, is set to be sentenced after she admitted to the charges.

The house help was charged with subjecting the minor to cruelty contrary to section 127(1)(a) of children Act No 8 of 2001 on February,20, at Dandora phase V estate in Njiru sub-county Nairobi County.

She pleaded guilty before Makadara Chief Magistrate Heston Nyaga on February, 26.

She told the court that she is 17 years and a half.

The court heard that on a material day, the minor had been left under the care of the accused person after his mother left for work.

When the mother came back in the evening, the accused asked for permission to go and collect her national Identity Card at Kariobangi North upon which she was supposed to return.

But she never returned that day.

The next day as the mother went to change the minor’s diapers, he suddenly started crying hysterically.

On examining him further, she realized that the minor had visible burn injuries on his buttocks.

Upon viewing the CCTV footage, she saw the house help ironing her clothes and after she had finished, she took the baby removed his pants, and placed the hot iron box on his buttocks.

The footage also shows her breastfeeding the child after he started crying before giving out some of her belongings to a girl in the neighborhood.

After seeing that, she immediately rushed the minor to Dandora medical center where he was treated and discharged in a fair condition.

She then went and reported the matter to Dandora phase V police post, and in February 23, the accused was arrested at the Nairobi CBD.

Makadara principal magistrate Eva Kanyiri on Monday directed that a probation report be tabled in court before sentencing the accused.

She ordered the matter to be mentioned on April 7, 2021.

By The Star