Child abuse: Couple arrested for death of 6-year-old maid

Man and his wife arrested on charges of killing a six-year-old working at their house as a maid.

LAHORE:

A man and his wife were arrested by Harbanspura police on Monday on charges of killing a six-year-old working at their house as a maid.

Laiba died on Saturday allegedly after she was beaten up with a bat by her employer, Asif, on Friday. SI Malik Asif said that during interrogation Asif said that he had hit her because she had spent a long time in the toilet. The couple later took the child to Services Hospital from where she was discharged following first aid

The SI said that couple had fled from their house and dumped the body in the fields near Muridke-Narowal Road. The body has been recovered and sent for an autopsy. Asif and Yasmeen were caught by police with assistance of a neighbour, Ramazan alias Jani Mota. Ramazan set up a meeting with them at a cigarette and pan shop near their house. He suggested that he would help them find a way out of their situation. Laiba and her brother, Waseem, had been working at the couple’s house for three months.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2011.