A Form Three student suffered a broken nose and a fractured right shoulder after she was allegedly assaulted by a female classmate at a secondary school in the district.
The incident reportedly occurred on April 30, but the 15-year-old victim has continued to struggle with emotional trauma and is undergoing psychiatric treatment as well as follow-up care with orthopaedic, ear, nose and throat (ENT), and oral specialists.
According to the victim’s 45-year-old mother, the dispute allegedly began after her daughter spontaneously answered a teacher’s question about the absence of several students during a co-curricular activity.
“The teacher asked where the other students were because only a few had attended.
“My daughter answered spontaneously, ‘I don’t know, maybe they skipped it’, but she had no intention of informing on or complaining about anyone,” she said.
The mother claimed that an argument broke out the following day, during which her daughter was allegedly pulled and had her head slammed against a whiteboard.
“That is all she remembers,” she said.
She said a discipline teacher later informed her about the incident, prompting her to rush to the school’s discipline room.
“My daughter was there and I saw blood coming from her nose and mouth when she spoke. Her eyes were also swollen.
“After seeing her condition, I supported her down the stairs from the first floor, helped her into the car and drove her to Tanah Merah Hospital myself,” she said when met on Monday.
Medical examinations found that the girl had suffered a fractured nose, while an injury to her mouth required five stitches.
The mother said she lodged a police report at the Batu Gajah Police Station at about 1pm on the same day and subsequently gave her statement.
However, after returning home to Jeli, her daughter’s condition reportedly worsened, with the teenager complaining of headaches and vomiting.
“She later had difficulty walking and had to hold onto walls or be supported when moving around,” she said.
Further examinations and follow-up treatment subsequently revealed that the girl had also suffered a fractured right shoulder and a trapped nerve in her arm.
The teenager remains under medical care and has been on medical leave until September. Her mother said doctors had informed the family that surgery might be required to treat the nerve injury.
However, the mother said her daughter’s emotional condition remained her greatest concern, claiming the teenager still frequently mumbles incoherently and trembles, while requiring her mother to accompany her to class even after transferring to another school.
The girl began attending a new school on August 16 after doctors advised her to leave an environment that could remind her of the alleged incident.
The single mother said her family was now in the process of pursuing legal action through Messrs Syukran Noordin while maintaining the police report lodged following the incident.
“I want justice for my daughter. She has gone through pain, continues to receive treatment, and I am also bearing the medical expenses and dealing with the emotional impact of the incident.
“I only hope something like this does not happen to other students. As a mother, I want my daughter to return to a normal life without constantly being haunted by fear,” she said.
