Court hears of 6-year-old girl's ordeal at mother's hand

A six-year-old girl whose mother is being accused of abandoning her was so emaciated and malnourished that her ribs could be counted one by one.

The child also had several bruises, scratches as well as numerous flea bites, a doctor told a court yesterday.

Testifying in the compilation of evidence against a 45-year-old Mosta woman, Andrew Borg, who was appointed by the court to testify about the girl's condition, said the girl "swallowed up in no time the food given to her" and "seemed used to the situation she was in". He described her as intelligent, able to speak both Maltese and English as well as a few words in Italian.

The woman, whose name cannot be published to protect the child's identity, was on May 19 charged with abandoning her six-year-old daughter. Dr Borg told Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera that the thing that struck him most was that the child never mentioned her mother and father while he was examining her and speaking to her.

He recommended to the court that a child psychologist be appointed to draw up a report about her psychological condition. Inspector Chris Pullicino, who lives next door to the girl's home, testified that his wife had drawn his attention last January to the fact that the next door neighbour was leaving the young girl outside for long hours.

The girl used to stay on the doorstep on returning from school in the afternoon and had to do her homework on the doorstep and wait outside until her mother returned home.

Insp. Pullicino, his wife Roseanne and another neighbour, Josephine Scerri, testified that they often gave food to the child, who always insisted they did not tell her mother about it, as well as insisting that they took any wrappers when they gave her chocolate or other food items, so that her mother would not find out she was accepting food from them.

After reporting the case to the police, who had spoken to her mother, the girl was no longer seen outside but about a month later, Roseanne Pullicino noticed that the girl was being locked in the washroom. Sometimes she was locked in a balcony overlooking an internal yard.

The girl was regularly fed by neighbours who either lowered food to her in a bucket or gave her food by going over the roof.

Those who testified said the girl was "very dirty and had a very bad smell" and when they asked her to wash she told them she needed her mother's permission to do so because she had no access to the bathroom.

The floor in the washroom as well as the balcony was littered with faeces and the girl was often wearing no socks, even in winter, and was seen with very dirty underpants and t-shirt. Josephine Scerri said that on at least one occasion the girl slept in the washroom and told her she felt very cold at night but added that "at least my mother gave me a pillow".

Ms Scerri said the girl shared the washroom with cats and on one occasion she noticed that when she gave her sandwiches, the girl ate some herself but also shared her food with the cats.

The witnesses said the girl was out on the street at 6.30 a.m. and her mother returned home at about 7 p.m.

Civil Protection worker Natalino Bezzina explained to the court how on May 17, they were asked to assist the police get to a girl who was locked at home and said he had abseiled and lifted the girl by means of ropes and given her to waiting police and care workers.

Mr Bezzina said the girl was very dirty and had a very bad smell. He described the dreary conditions of the only room she had access to, which had no light bulb, telephone or toilet.

Dr Giannella Caruana Curran is appearing for the accused.

Inspector Joseph Mercieca is prosecuting.

The case continues.