HCMC girl dies, domestic abuse suspected

The girl lived with her father and his fiancee, 26, at an apartment in Binh Thanh District. On Wednesday, the girl was taken to a local hospital with her heart stopped and multiple wounds on her body.

The girl was later determined to have died before she reached the hospital. The wounds and bruises on her body led doctors to contact the police afterwards.

Police said the wounds were signs of beating. Multiple witnesses and those involved in the case were summoned, including the father’s fiancee, to assist with the investigation.

At the girl’s home, police found broken brooms and objects, as well as signs that the girl had been beaten and forced to do housework. Neighbors of the family said they had heard the girl cry multiple times.

The father’s fiancee is now the prime suspect. She has been arrested by the police, but her identity has yet to be announced.

Children receiving punishments from family members are common in Vietnam, some of which could prove violent. According to a UNICEF survey, more than 68 percent of children aged 1-14 in Vietnam have been victims of violent actions from their parents or caretakers.