Toddler critical after being assaulted by juvenile caretaker in Gurugram

An official with the Juvenile Justice Board said that as per the juvenile’s version of events, she dropped the girl when she was picking her up to console her, as she kept crying due to the absence of her parents

A 13-month-old girl was put on life support and her 15-year-old caretaker booked for assaulting her in Sector 56 on Monday night. The police said they have apprehended the juvenile and also registered a case against the toddler’s parents for employing a minor as a domestic help.

Representational image.

An official with the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) said that as per the juvenile’s version of events, she dropped the girl when she was picking her up to console her, as she kept crying due to the absence of her parents. “Despite her repeated attempts, she (the infant) did not stop (crying). She lost her temper, kicked her and punched her as she got irritated,” the official said.

The police said that according to the medical loss ratio (MLR) report from the doctors on Wednesday, four of the toddler’s rib bones were fractured while her pancreas, kidney and spleen were severely injured, and her condition remained critical on Wednesday evening.

A case under sections 323 (assault), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the juvenile on Wednesday after an investigation took place and statements of parents and doctors were recorded.

According to the police, the parents of the toddler had hired a 15-year-old girl as domestic help three months ago to take care of their daughter. The help used to visit their apartment for a few hours every day and was paid ₹9,000 per month.

Police commissioner KK Rao said there were CCTV cameras in the house but since the incident took place inside a bedroom, it was not captured. “The help has confessed to the crime but as the family had hired a minor, we have registered a case against them under Juvenile Justice Act at Sector 56 police station on Wednesday,” Rao said.

Sonia Yadav, a member of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), said that the families risk the lives of their children by hiring juveniles as nannies. “This incident has raised questions on the child labour issues of whether minors are mature enough to be nannies. The juvenile in conflict with law has been sent to Nari Niketan in Karnal,” she said, adding that a team will visit the hospital to meet the parents on Thursday.

Pawan Kumar, the station house officer of Sector 56 police station, said that they received a complaint on Tuesday night following which a case was registered against the minor. “The parents in their statement told us that they had hired a girl through their cook from Sector 53. She used to live there with her father and stepmother. On Monday, the toddler’s parents went to buy groceries and asked the help to take care of the toddler as she was sleeping,” he said.

As per the statement, the parents returned home around 9.30pm and found the toddler shrieking in pain and bleeding. They rushed her to a hospital in Sector 56, from where she was referred to a speciality hospital in Sector 51 due to her critical condition.

The doctors conducted several tests and informed parents that the toddler had received severe injuries all over her body. The parents informed the police on Tuesday, following which the minor girl was questioned by a police team and apprehended on Wednesday.

According to the police, the couple had installed CCTV cameras in the drawing room, dining area, kitchen and outside the house but the incident took place inside a bedroom. “The father told us that they used to treat the juvenile like their own child and they never faced any issues with her. She was warm and loving towards their daughter. He also said they used to take their daughter along wherever they went but as she was sleeping they preferred to leave her at home with the help,” said Kumar.