A kindergarten sought the police’s help after their teachers discovered one of their pupils has been physically abused for a year.

The 5-year-old boy has been attending kindergarten with both old and new wounds.

A teacher said the boy had wounds on almost every part of his body, and they (the kindergarten) had often taken pictures of the wounds which have been subsequently handed over to the police.

The teacher said the boy arrived at school last week with a bruised eye; yesterday, he had a cut on his head with three stitches.

The police have arrested an uncle of the boy and sent the boy to Sibu Hospital for medical examination.

According to the teacher, the boy has two siblings who were being taken care of by others because his single mother has mental depression and could not cope with her three children.

One of his aunts has taken custody of the boy’s elder sister while his brother is under the Welfare Department’s care.

The boy was himself was under the custody of the Welfare Department, but an aunt applied for his release last year.

It is understood the boy’s biological father who works in Miri has been sending money to his mother.

After the boy was taken under his aunt’s custody and began attending kindergarten, the boy was initially unhappy and reserved.

“However, he has slowly learnt to adapt to learning and has begun talking to classmates and teachers,” the teacher said.

At the police station yesterday, the boy expressed curiosity on seeing a lift for the first time. He pleaded with his teacher to take him on the lift; the teacher did.

The teacher said during the weekdays, they were not worried about the boy being abused, as he stayed at school from 8am-4.30pm.

“We are worried on weekends when the boy spends two full days at home. Almost every Monday, he returns with new wounds.”

The boy had been staying with his mother, grandmother, uncles and aunts after he was taken from the Welfare Department.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Raymond Tan

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