Burn Injuries in Children Accused of \'witchcraft\'

Abstract

Burns from assaults are common in children. Torturing of children by burning is rare. This study reports a series of cases of burn injury inflicted in children who were
accused of \'witchcraft\'. Four childrenwhowere accused of \'witchcraft\' and were consequently assaulted by burning were managed at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos
and the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos. These have been retrospectively reviewed and presented in this report. Their ages ranged between 6 and 14 years. They all sustained burns in the head and neck regions, in 3 the burns also involved the upper limbs and trunk. One of them who had 50% burns surface area in addition to inhalation injury, died.
Any burn injuries in the head/neck region in children should raise a high index of suspicion of assault. Increased awareness of this pattern of presentation is necessary to recognise this form of child abuse.

Keywords: Burns, \'witchcraft\', assault, children,Abuse

African Journal of Paediatric Surgery Vol. 4 (2) 2007: pp. 91-94