Extreme cases of child abuse by parents: A report on a series of 4 different cases

This paper focuses on four extreme cases of child abuse which resulted from the violent acts of their parents or caregivers. These four cases included: a case of throttling, a case of cut throat, a case of malnutrition and starvation, and a case of pregnant girl-child raped by her father. The parents of these children belonged to the lower socioeconomic group; poverty and conflicts between the parents were important triggering factors for such ghastly acts. These extreme cases of child abuse may be just the tip of the ice-berg, as many non-fatal cases of child abuse may have remained unreported. Reporting by health professionals of suspected child abuse and neglect cases is recommended. If the parents are found guilty, the revoking of parental rights should be considered and feasible rehabilitation measures for such children should be taken up.