Woman held for toddler’s murder

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested and filed charges against a 37-year-old woman who allegedly killed a two-year-old girl under her care in Quezon City on Thursday.

Rowena Daud is being held on charges of murder and violating Republic 7610 or the law against child abuse.

A report from the Quezon City Police District Station 14 said the incident happened at the Daud’s house in Barangay Culiat at around 3 p.m.

Daud reportedly slammed the child’s head against a wall during a fit of rage, investigators reported.

To conceal her crime, Daud brought the child to the New Era Hospital, claiming she had fallen. The victim later succumbed to her injuries.

However, police officers who went to the hospital became suspicious after they noticed the child had multiple bruises on different parts of her body.

“Marami siyang sugat sa iba’t ibang parte ng katawan, sa likod, paa, ulo (She had many wounds on her body, on the back, feet, head),” Lt. Anthony Dacquel, chief of Station 14’s women and children protection desk, said in an interview aired over GMA News.

During interrogation, Daud admitted that she has been hurting the child due to stress.

Dacquel said she has been taking care of the child and the victim’s eight-month-old sibling aside from her own three children.

“Stressed na stressed na raw siya,” Dacquel said.

The victim’s mother, overseas Filipino worker Risma Sarahanga, left the child and her sibling in Daud’s care as she is in Saudi Arabia.

Police have no information on the victim’s father.

Station 14 commander Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bilaro did not reply when asked for the whereabouts of the victim’s sibling and Daud’s children.

Police are also investigating if the child was raped as her body also bore signs of sexual assault.