Police is searching for a woman accused of pouring hot water on a four-year-old girl after allegedly accusing the child of eating rice without permission.
The incident happened on Saturday, 1 August, in K3 Cell, Kyambogo, in Kampala’s Nakawa Division, according to police.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said officers at Jinja Road Police Station had opened an investigation into suspected child torture.
Police later identified the suspect asMackline Zabaki, who is alleged to be the child’s biological mother.
Kawala said the woman allegedly used hot water from a kettle to burn the child after accusing her of eating rice while she was away from home.
The suspect reportedly fled after the incident.
Police say efforts are under way to locate and arrest the woman as investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The child is receiving medical attention, according to police.
Kawala condemned the alleged assault and urged parents and caregivers to avoid violence when disciplining children.
She appealed to members of the public with information that could help locate the suspect to report it to the nearest police station.
The case is being investigated as suspected child torture.
The case comes amid continued concerns about violence against children in Uganda.
Ugandan police have previously investigated cases in which children suffered serious burns after being allegedly attacked by caregivers.
In 2022, police in Kasangati investigated a case involving a three-year-old girl who was allegedly burnt with hot water by her stepmother. Police said the child had severe burn wounds and scars that suggested she had suffered repeated abuse.
More recently, police have dealt with other serious cases involving children in the Kampala area.
In April, a four-year-old boy died after sustaining severe burns when he fell into a saucepan of hot tea at a kindergarten in Wakiso District. Police subsequently detained the school’s director over allegations of a rash and negligent act.
The latest case is different because police allege that the child’s injuries were deliberately inflicted.
Police are expected to continue searching for the suspect while gathering evidence and taking statements from people who may have witnessed or have information about the incident.
The case has also renewed calls for parents and guardians to use non-violent methods of discipline and for communities to report suspected child abuse before it escalates.
