Rabat – Judiciary police of Taroudant, about 80 kilometers east of Agadir, have arrested a couple suspected of torturing their 7-year-old daughter and exposing her body to second-degree burns.
The charges against the two suspects include torture and assault on a minor.
Security services made the arrests on Monday, January 20, after receiving an alert from a neighbor who heard the victim’s cries, said a press release from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).
A medical report has revealed an infection in the victim’s vagina. The child’s parents had used a metal skewer to burn her genitals repeatedly over a period of several months.
A medical examination also found second-degree burns on the limbs and genitals of the victim, revealed DGSN.
The neighbors reported the incident to the police after hearing cries of pain and calls for help from the girl, according to the daily Al Akhbar in its Tuesday, January 21, edition.
The parents claim that they tortured the little girl to stop her from rubbing her genitals, adds the newspaper.
The public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation to determine the reasons and circumstances of the couple’s criminal acts. The father is in custody, while the mother will be prosecuted while on bail, concludes DGSN’s statement.
According to Morocco’s penal code, the couple could be facing anywhere between 10 and 40 years in prison, depending on the severity of the physical injuries and whether they will cause permanent damage to the victim.
