Abdullah Al-Yahya

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

 

BAHA — The uncle of four children tortured by their stepmother for 14 years has filed a lawsuit with Abha General Court in a bid to get compensation for the victims.



A.A., the uncle, said the children have been tortured in their own home ever since their biological parents split up 14 years ago.



One of the children said her stepmother had been torturing her for 14 years until she became emotionally fragile and living in constant fear.



“She had hit me at the back of my head with a sharp object before and she would make me stand all night during my final exams for no reason,” she said.



Another of the children said his stepmother inflicted him with burns multiple times by heating a knife and pressing it to his skin.



He said: “When I was 8 she beat me so hard I went out into the streets and walked from Abha to Khamis Mushayt in the middle of the night searching for my mother.



“I was taken to Khamis Mushayt Public Hospital and was diagnosed with diabetes then.”



He also mentioned that his stepmother used to slap him and had once shattered his teeth. A.A, said: “The children are aged 14 to 18.



“Their stepmother has beaten them, burned them, slapped them, used sharp objects against them and even shattered their teeth.



“I have been trying to mediate between their father and our father to save the children from the abuse they were undergoing.”



He added that he has complained about the abuse to the police several times and filed several lawsuits until finally the court granted him guardianship over the children.



“They currently live with me and my father in my house. “I demand the pertinent authorities to intervene and compensate the children for all they have gone through.”