A 35-year-old nursing mother and seamstress has been arrested by the Bole District Police in the Savannah Region for allegedly assaulting a five-year-old girl in her care and inflicting blade wounds on her body.
The suspect, identified as Marijana Alhassan, was arrested following the disturbing incident at Bole Mempeasem, a suburb of Bole.
The case came to light on the evening of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, when the Assembly Member for the Mempeasem Electoral Area, Hassan Abu Peace Brother, discovered the injured child behind his house around 7:00 p.m.
Speaking to Adom News, the Assemblyman said the young girl could only identify her mother as “mama,” prompting him to search for her guardian.
According to him, after locating the suspect, he cautioned her against mistreating the child after learning she allegedly subjected the girl to frequent beatings.
However, the situation reportedly worsened overnight.
“An old woman told me the woman would beat the child throughout the night because that’s what she usually does. I confronted the woman but she assured me she wouldn’t beat her. Around 6:00 a.m. the next morning, I received a call that she had beaten the child and even inflicted blade wounds on her before sending her to school,” he recounted.
The Assemblyman said he immediately visited the school and alerted the police and social welfare authorities.
School authorities reportedly invited the suspect to the school premises, where she was arrested upon arrival.
The Assemblyman condemned the alleged abuse and urged parents to be careful when leaving children in the care of others.
“If you’re not ready to take care of a child, don’t give birth and hand the child over to someone. Every child has the right to live,” he stated.
During questioning at the Bole District Police Station, the suspect denied deliberately inflicting blade wounds on the child.
She explained that the girl is her husband’s sister’s daughter and usually stays with the family whenever the child’s mother travels for studies.
Marijana Alhassan described the child as highly dependent and claimed caring for her had become stressful.
She admitted pushing the child in frustration but insisted the injuries occurred after the girl allegedly fell onto a mopping stick.
According to her, she later dressed the child and sent her to school before being summoned by school authorities and subsequently arrested.
The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to appear before the Bole District Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, social welfare officials are monitoring the welfare of the child, who is currently receiving treatment at the Bole District Government Hospital.
