This is the heartbreaking drawing an 11-year-old girl sketched along with notes saying she wants to “die, die, die” because her mother beats her with a belt and calls her “stupid, filthy and fat”.
The disturbing case came to light after the girl’s teachers in the city of Marbella in the province of Malaga in southern Spain noticed she had bruising all over her body.
Local media report the concerned teachers immediately reported the case to the authorities and took the girl, who has not been named in reports, to a health care centre.
The youngster later handed in a diary that described all the psychological and physical abuse that she had reportedly suffered.
The notebook is said to contain details of the girl’s mother beating her with a belt and states that the mum “beats me and humiliates me calling me stupid, filthy, fat” and adds: “I want to die, die, die, die, die.”
The drawing shows a girl with bruises all over her body and holding a knife, with the word “volare” (‘fly away’ in Spanish) written beside it.
The mother, who has not been named in reports but is originally from Morocco, has been arrested. She reportedly argues that her daughter stole money from her and slapped her.
Psychologist Javier Lopez Ibor told reporters that you can tell how serious the case is with a quick look at the picture.
Jose Antonio Galiani, a psychologist specialised in children, said that it is very rare to find pictures that are so explicit about mistreatment.
According to two both doctors the drawing is a clear call for help since she uses the word “fly away” and the girl is carrying a suitcase as a symbol of her desire to flee.
The girl is now under the tutelage of the municipality and it is unclear if the mother has been charged.
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Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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