26 June 2016

Three Small Children Chained and Left Alone for 3 Days

Child abandonment should be considered a heinous crime and those that endanger a child should be meted the maximum penalty of death, if possible.

This was the general sentiment of online posters after they learned that three minor children, aged 3, 1 and 8 months were left by themselves, chained in their house for three straight days without food or water by their heartless parents.

The three children were rescued and brought to the hospital after social workers rescued them inside their house in Quezon City, Philippines.

According to community outreach officer Maribel Cayco, all children were confined at the East Avenue Medical Center for further observation after the two youngest were diagnosed as severely malnourished and, suffered from scabies infection and had superficial head wounds, most probably from physical abuses.

The older child is under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

It was first reported by John Michael Ancheta, a neighbor, that the three children have not eaten a decent meal for three days prior to the rescue. He also observed that the parents regularly abuse the children and prevented the neighbors from interfering and feeding them.

Some neighbors tried to intervene but were hesitant because they might be accused as suspects if something fatal happens to the children. Hence, they decided to contact the proper authorities instead.

There were some allegations that the father tried to take away the children from the hospital, but social workers have strict instruction to hospital personnel that they should be prevented from doing that and they should be reported to the authorities immediately.

Meanwhile, the grandmother of the three children has decided to file a case against the parents and stop them from going near the victims.

The social workers are also asking private legal groups to help them prosecute the parents and put them away for good.