LAHORE: A child maid died after allegedly being subjected to torture by her employers in Lahore’s Gulberg area, police said on Saturday.
The victim was identified as 12-year-old Kaneez Fatima, who had been working as a maid at the residence of a man identified as Sufi Ejaz for just one month, according to police.
A murder case has been registered at the complaint of the girl’s father, Javed, who alleged that his daughter was tortured and killed by the house owners.
According to the FIR, Javed said he received a call from the homeowner’s daughter-in-law asking him to immediately reach Lahore from Faisalabad. He said he arrived in Lahore along with his wife and brother and found his daughter at Gulab Devi Hospital.
The father said doctors told him that Kaneez Fatima had been brought to the hospital dead approximately two and a half hours earlier.
The girl’s body was shifted for a post-mortem examination. Police said the actual cause of death would be determined after the post-mortem report is received.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident and are collecting evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Lahore housemaid dies during abortion after sexual assault
The incident comes amid growing concerns over violence and exploitation faced by child domestic workers.
Previous Similar Incident
Last month, an 18-year-old domestic worker died during an abortion procedure in Lahore after being sexually assaulted, according to police.
Police said the woman, who worked at a house in the Model Town area, had accused the homeowner’s son and a driver of rape.
She was initially taken to a private clinic in Raiwind for medical treatment and later shifted to Services Hospital after her condition worsened.
Police said the victim had provided written and video statements alleging sexual assault. However, investigators said she later changed her statement, naming only the driver as the accused in her final statement.
She died after remaining under treatment at Services Hospital for two days.