An 11-year-old girl from a village in the West Bandung Regency of West Java recently had her face severely burnt, with her step-grandmother the sole suspect in the alleged abuse case
The girl, identified by her initials RH, is being treated at Hasan Sadikin Hospital in West Java’s capital city of Bandung, where she was first taken after receiving her horrific injuries on September 29.
According to RH, her step-grandmother, identified as Kosiah, asked her to fry some snacks for the family that day. When RH asked if she could rest because she was complaining of a headache, Kosiah allegedly got upset, dragged RH into the kitchen and forced her face into the hot cooking oil.
“My daughter did not recall anything (after that), she was on the bed (when she regained consciousness). She received first aid after her grandfather took her to Gunung Halu Hospital, but she was only given an ointment then. The doctor said she would be fine,” said RH’s father, Kusdian, as quoted by Rappler yesterday.
Kusdian, who lives in a separate house from his daughter, only found out about her injuries the next day. He then took RH to Hasan Sadikin Hospital and reported the incident to the police.
“My daughter is a quiet girl. The neighbors said that she was often beaten, and she rarely goes to school because her step-grandmother often forces RH to help her,” he said.
Kosiah denied the accusation that she violently abused RH. According to her, the oil incident was purely an accident.
“I was frying the rengginang (local snack) when (RH) came. She said, ‘let me do it.’ So I went to take care of the chicken. After frying 11 pieces she complained of a headache. I told her to rest. When I returned to the kitchen, (RH) had already fallen on the floor,” Kosiah said, as quoted by Kompas yesterday.
Kosiah said RH was lying face down on the floor, onto which the cooking oil had fallen out of the wok.
The police say they are investigating the case, but have not revealed any conclusive findings.
RH is reportedly scheduled for an unspecified operation on her face in two days’ time.
