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Stepfather poured caustic soda over tot
March 29, 2007 08:15am
Article from: AAP
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A QUEENSLAND man who poured caustic soda down the throat and over the skin of his four-year-old stepdaughter faces life in prison after a jury found him guilty last night.
The 33-year-old Mackay man, who cannot be named, was found guilty of two counts of causing grievous bodily harm to the child by the jury in Mackay District Court about 8pm (AEST).
He is already serving a six year sentence for failing to provide necessary medical treatment for the girl.
The court was told the child suffered five fractured ribs and a broken arm and caustic soda burns to her throat and groin area between July and late September, 2005.
She was taken to Mackay Base Hospital on September 26, 2005, when her parents told doctors they thought the groin burns were nappy rash or eczema.
However, specialists diagnosed them as chemical burns.
She has had skin grafts to her groin area and will need more operations. Her throat became so badly closed that she requires it to be forcibly stretched open with rods under general anaesthetic every two to three weeks.
But she did not receive any treatment for her broken ribs and her healed fractures were noticed only later when her whole body was X-rayed in Brisbane.
Specialist Dr Geoffrey Withers told the court the caustic soda burns would have been very painful.
"Patients we've seen with this type of burn are usually in a lot of pain and usually require narcotics or morphine to restrict the pain," Dr Withers said.
Dr Roy Kimble said the girl would have vomited, gagged and suffered great pain when caustic soda was poured down her throat.
The girl's mother, 27, pleaded guilty last November to one charge of child cruelty by failing to provide necessary medical care and she was sentenced to five years in jail.
Her husband was jailed for six years for the same offence.
This is the second time the man has faced trial over the incidents after a Mackay District Court jury was unable to reach verdicts last November.
and if you think males do this shit look:
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readar...d=11865&z=3&p=
OLLIER COUNTY: A mother was arrested after a family member called police saying she was beating her son – with a hammer.
Veronica Gonzalez Beristain was arrested Wednesday night and charged with aggravated child abuse.
Investigators say a female family member warned Beristain if she continued abusing her son she'd call the police.
"According to the relative, she saw Veronica hit this child with a hammer and called the sheriff's office so we responded," said Kristin Adams, Collier County Sheriff's Office.
But before they arrived Beristain grabbed her son and took off. Deputies began searching a neighborhood on Manor Boulevard in East Naples.
When they found them a few minutes later, Beristain's son had several bruises - one on his knee the size of a quarter.
The family member also told investigators she saw Beristain hit her young son with a wire hanger and bite him.
"It certainly could inflict some major damage so we're thankful this relative could call us," said Adams.
Authorities say without someone reporting the abuse, it may have continued.
"It's absolutely imperative that the community get involved in this type of situation," said Adams.
The five-year-old was taken into protective custody and later released to family members.
Beristain is being held without bond at the Collier County Jail. If convicted she could face up to 30 years in jail.
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