Yasmin Moody was beaten to death by her parents. The 3-year-old girl from Ogden, Utah was beaten until her small frame was riddled with open wounds.
Her parents then poured hot sauce and rubbing alcohol into the wounds. To suppress the screams, her parents allegedly placed a pillow over her face.
Yasmin died of an infection that spread from the wounds to her organs. Her parents were convicted Jan. 6 of first-degree murder.
Still, a little girl is dead.
Faheem Williams, a 7-year-old boy from Newark, N.J. was locked in a plastic storage box and died of starvation.
Police found the little boy’s mummified body Jan.5– more than a month after he died.
The day before Faheem’s body was discovered, his twin brother, Raheem, and younger brother Tyrone, 4, were found starving in the locked basement of the house. They were drenched in urine, feces and vomit.
Sherry Murphy, the boys’ cousin, had custody of the boys. According to the Associated Press, Murphy was supposed to take care of the children while their mother was in jail for child abuse. Murphy was arrested in Newark on Jan. 9.
Still, the damage is done.
One child is dead and two others were severely harmed.
It is wrong to subject children to abuse. It is also wrong to knowingly allow abuse to take place.
Someone had to know these children were being abused.
People must not be afraid to intervene. If you are aware of child abuse, do something.
Contact the police or child services if any abuse is suspected.
Yasmin and Faheem’s deaths must not be in vain.
Robyn K. Mizelle for The Famuan.