Mother of 4 Year Old Girl Arrested After Child Dies
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, January 24
A 4-year girl died in Tbilisi's Nadzaladevi district on January 22. The exact cause of the death is unknown, however, the police launched an investigation into the case under article 116 of the Criminal Code, based upon death resulting from negligence.
Soon after the child’s death, the mother of the girl was arrested for violating the restraining order, which was imposed on her after the police received the notification regarding the violence against the child on January 6.
In order to determine the exact cause of the death of the minor, investigative measures are conducted and the forensic examination is underway.
Neighbors of the family say the parents had been systematically abusing the child. According to them, the child was seriously injured after being beaten by the parents, after which, she was hospitalized in early January.
The neighbors say they had repeatedly called the police and notified the district inspector as well, but the girl was still living together with her parents and three siblings.
However, the family of the deceased minor rejects the allegation. Grandmother of the child claims that the girl was suffering from fever and had health problems.
“There was no violence here. The child hated the bath and often cried because of it, maybe our neighbors thought that her mother was beating the daughter,” the grandmother of the deceased child said.
The stepfather of the girl says his wife has never beaten up the children. He claims the neighbors are lying.
Arkady Dzavashvili says the child had severe health problems and that she was even undergoing some treatment.
“The child was hyperactive. Her mother never beat her. I would not let this happen if I saw,” he claims.
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs says that they are also investigating how effectively the monitoring of the restraining order was carried out by the responsible persons.
According to Mariam Tsereteli, the head of the Department of Care and Social Programs of the Social Service Agency, the girl who died was under state care and her mother used to take her home several times a month.
She explained that due to the economic problems, the family asked the agency for help and the girl was on foster care.
Tsereteli underlined that during the three years, the mother was taking her home for 1-3 days and they had never noticed the signs of violence.
She added the family was socially vulnerable but this does not mean that children should be separated from their parents.
