JOHOR BAHRU: A single mother was heartbroken when she found out that her two children, aged 6 and 11, had been abused by a guardian who was paid RM800 a month since last April.
The suffering of the two siblings was only realized by their mother, M Vikneswari, 30, when the two children were sent home in an e-hailing vehicle by the 30-year-old nanny last Thursday.
“It breaks my heart to see the condition of my children, the effects of bruises, wounds almost all over the limbs except in the genitals.
“In fact, they are in pain and in a state of weakness and lifelessness like starving people.
"Why are they willing to treat my sons like this, when both are still children and not slaves," said when she lodged the report at the Nusa Bestari Police Station here.
Vikneswari said she did not expect her two sons to be victims of abuse by a nanny who is also a married couple living in Selesa Jaya near Skudai here.
She said she knew the nanny couple through her friend and paid them RM800 a month to take care of her sons since last April.
According to her, as a result of being busy earning a living, she only had the opportunity to visit her children three times since April until now.
“My husband passed away a few years ago and I am a single mother as well as working as a restaurant assistant.
"Despite not visiting, I often contact the nanny to find out the child's development and they say they are healthy.
“However lately I have not been allowed to visit the child and the nanny gave various reasons including undergoing self-quarantine as they have close contact with COVID-19 patients.
"In fact, I was even more worried when the nanny stated that one of my children was exposed to hot water during the quarantine period," he said.
Vikneswari claimed that, when informed she could only meet the child after 48 days, she shared the problem experienced with the employer, before being advised to lodge a police report.
She said, realizing that she had lodged a police complaint, the nanny returned the children by sending them home in an e-hailing vehicle to her house in the city.
She said his son claimed he was beaten with a cane and pipe, tied with ropes, splashed hot water on his body, lit cigarette butts.
"My sons are currently being treated at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) for fear of contracting a bacterial infection due to wounds all over their bodies.
"I pray that the children get well, and I am not willing to part with them, so I will take care of them myself," he said.
Iskandar Puteri District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Dzulkhairi Mukhtar, confirmed receiving a report related to the incident and three local individuals aged between 24 to 32 years old were detained to assist in the investigation.
"We are still investigating the report," he said when contacted today.
