Girl in Mexico Allegedly Burned by Mental Health Facility Workers Who Doused Her With Alcohol, Tasered Her
A mental health facility in Mexico's state of Jalisco is now under investigation by the National Human Rights Commission after an 11-year-old Mexican girl suffered second-degree burns to 13% of her body.
According to Mexico News Daily, the burns were allegedly triggered when the facility's staff tasered the girl after being doused with alcohol.
The incident reportedly occurred at the House of Life, Way to Health facility in Tonalá, Guadalajara in Jalisco last Friday. Her mother said multiple employees tried to subdue her after they could not control her during an anxiety attack.
The employees then doused her with alcohol and tasered her as they tried to contain her. This led to the burns as the taser caused sparks that set her clothes on fire.
Mexican Girl Survived But Required Surgery
The Mexican girl suffered second-degree burns on her thorax, left hand and arm, and abdomen. She is currently hospitalized and has received the plastic surgery needed for her injury. She was due to receive another operation on Thursday to determine if she needed skin grafts.
The girl's mother, identified as "Monica" by the Mexican newspaper Milenio, talked to Mexican media regarding the incident. She said the House of Life, Way to Health facility contacted her about the incident involving her daughter.
She noted that they told her it was merely an accident. However, she said she did not believe them. She told Milenio that her daughter has an anxiety disorder and depression and has suicidal tendencies.
"Monica" noted that what the facility's staff did was too much, adding that five people grabbed her daughter before pouring alcohol onto her.
The mother also told the media that the facility tried to trick her into not reporting the incident to authorities. They also offered her financial compensation for her daughter's medical treatment.
However, she continued to report the incident and had her daughter treated at a local medical facility. Her daughter was then transferred to a hospital in Guadalajara.
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National Human Rights Commission's Division on Torture in Mexico Handles the Mexican Girl's Case
The case has now been forwarded to Mexico's National Human Rights Commission's Division on Torture, which means that the case will be investigated as a case of torture on a national level.
The state's human rights commission said it currently does not know if the House of Life, Way to Health facility is operating under legal regulations.
Jalisco human rights ombudswoman Erika Córdova noted that the Ministry of Health will verify if the facility adheres to regulations. If not, then the facility will be closed.
Neighbors living near the facility reported that they often hear screams, shouting, and crying coming from the center. One neighbor told Mexico News Daily that now that the incident has occurred, they are connecting it to what they heard.
The Tonalá city council noted that, regardless of the actions and investigations carried out by other government agencies, the municipal administration will also act on it following a probe.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Torturaron a La Menor De Albergue en Jalisco Para Tratar Crisis De Ansiedad - From Milenio