3-year-old girl dies from head injuries inflicted by mentally disturbed father

The 3-year-old girl who sustained head injuries inflicted by her father over the weekend in Iloilo City has passed away, GMA News' 24 Oras reported on Monday.

The suspect, who appeared to be suffering from a mental disorder, had gone to the Lapuz district police station with his daughter to report threatening text messages he was allegedly receiving on his mobile phone, the report said. While he was there, the police noticed that he was already hurting the child.
When they left, the police station's CCTV caught the girl's father carrying her as he walked out, and then suddenly bashing his daughter onto the concrete pavement twice.

She died two days later at the West Visayas State University Medical Center, where her father is also currently confined in the psychiatric department after getting arrested following the incident.

 

Mental illness

 

Salve added that her brother is still looking for his daughter.

The police are preparing to file a parricide case against the suspect, even though the child's mother, identified only as 'Anna,' said she does not want to press charges against her husband.

 

The mother said she believes the incident was due to a nervous breakdown.

“Mabait siyang ama at maalagain. Ayaw niya halos pakagat sa lamok ang anak niya. Mahal na mahal daw niya ang anak niya,” Anna said.

It was unclear why the police was unable to stop the father from hurting the child, or why she was placed under his care despite his mental condition. — with Andrei Medina/RSJ/YA, GMA News