#388: 7-yr-old Found SAed Till Spinal Cord Is Visible, Then Tossed In Front Of Home W/ Cement In Mouth
Sep 4, 2024
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A tragic story unfolds as a mother discovers her 7-year-old daughter, Heaven, has died under suspicious circumstances. With cement in her mouth and signs of assault on her body, the community’s insistence that she fell raises alarming questions. As the mother searches for the truth, she encounters a web of possible conspiracies and betrayal. The struggle for justice reveals the emotional depths of grief and the community's outrage. The tale compels listeners to confront difficult realities surrounding childhood safety and societal indifference.
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Quick takeaways
The tragic case of 7-year-old Heaven reveals the dangers of relying on traditional healing over medical intervention in critical situations.
Heaven's mother demonstrated remarkable determination to uncover the truth amid a community that was complicit in covering up the circumstances of her daughter's death.
The societal reaction to Heaven's murder underscores pervasive victim-blaming attitudes and highlights the urgent need for reforms in child protection laws.
Deep dives
The Role of Buddha Houses in Healing
Buddha houses are traditional healing centers in Ethiopia where people seek protection and treatment for ailments that conventional medicine cannot address. These places cater to individuals experiencing various unexplained illnesses or after traumatic events. For example, those with hallucinations or strange injuries often visit these houses in the hope of warding off perceived evil forces. Unfortunately, the reliance on these traditional healing practices can lead to critical delays in receiving appropriate medical attention, as seen in the case of a little girl named Heaven, whose tragic story unfolds as she is taken to a Buddha house instead of a hospital.
Tragic Events Surrounding Heaven
Heaven, a young girl, suffered fatal injuries under suspicious circumstances that were initially attributed to a simple fall. After her neighbors described her as having fallen from a wooden bar while playing, a bewildering mystery emerged when it was discovered that she had been forcibly fed a mixture resembling cement. Additionally, her body exhibited signs of strangulation and unusual bruising, indicating that she did not die from an accident but rather from a violent assault. These inconsistencies raised serious questions about the true nature of her death, prompting her mother to seek justice amidst a community reluctant to confront the truth.
A Mother's Quest for Truth
Heaven's mother embarked on a harrowing journey to uncover what truly happened to her daughter, suspecting that the adults around her were lying. Throughout this journey, she was met with an unsettling silence and denial from the neighborhood community, who perpetuated the narrative of an accidental fall. The mother, a nurse by profession, noticed the alarming medical inconsistencies during Heaven's autopsy and became increasingly convinced of foul play. Her determination to reveal the truth faced numerous obstacles as community members dismissed her claims and insisted on adhering to traditional explanations.
The Community's Response and Justice System Failures
In the aftermath of Heaven's death, the lack of support from local authorities revealed significant flaws within the justice system in Ethiopia. Heaven's mother faced threats from the community, including pressure from the family of the suspected perpetrator, who attempted to manipulate public perception and intimidate her into silence. This pressure was exacerbated by the police's apparent reluctance to conduct a thorough investigation, as they overlooked crucial evidence and disregarded testimonies from children present during the incident. Ultimately, even after a conviction, Heaven's mother was left feeling powerless as the justice served—25 years for the perpetrator—seemed insufficient for the horrific crime committed against an innocent child.
Societal Attitudes Towards Victims and Accountability
The societal response to Heaven's case highlights a disturbing trend in victim-blaming and deflection of accountability. As Heaven's mother bravely shared her daughter's story, some community members horrifically suggested that she was to blame for not supervising her children closely enough. This blame shift reflects deeper societal issues regarding the treatment of women and children, particularly in cases of violence. The ongoing advocacy efforts call for significant change in how child protection laws are enforced and how victims' families are treated, emphasizing that children should be safe in their homes and communities.
7-year-old Heaven was brought into the Budha House to be healed. The neighbors who brought her in tried to explain - she had been playing and hanging onto a bar when she fell and hit her head. She is now unconscious.
But the healers could just take one look at Heaven and know - the little girl is dead.
When Heaven’s mom finally sees Heaven’s little body - she finds something even more puzzling. Her mouth is filled with cement. Her autopsy shows she was assaulted “front and back” and had these weird little cuts all over her body.
On her neck, you could almost make out the 5 fingers that were wrapped around her. Suffocating her.
It feels like all the neighbors are in on some big conspiracy. Why do they keep insisting that she fell when it’s so clear she did not. What are they hiding?
Heaven’s mom is going to figure out what the hell happened to her daughter.