An investigation is currently under way into allegations that an 11-year-old girl from a south St Andrew community is now in hospital for the third time after being abused by her mother.

A source, who requested anonymity, shared the report with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, saying that the matter has been reported to the police and the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse.

Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison, when contacted, told the Observer that she was not aware of the case but would be looking into the matter.

At the same time, head of the West Kingston Police Division Senior Superintendent Michael Phipps said, while he is unaware of the specific incident, he has received reports of abuse against children in recent times.

“We have been seeing situations in which parents and other relatives have been very cruel to children. Oftentimes, these situations come from tension and we try to do our investigations, which have resulted in some prosecution and, in some cases, remediation and counselling,” said Phipps.

“Quite a number of these matters are currently before the courts and we continue to investigate them as best as possible because we believe that parents and other relatives must be very responsible towards our children and they should not be abusing them in the manner that we see being reported over time,” added Phipps.

He said the current allegations will be pursued with appropriate course of action, having been reported to the police.

The Observer was drawn to the case after a source claimed that the child was severely beaten by her parent last Thursday and was admitted to hospital on Friday morning after the principal of the school she attends was made aware of the incident.

“The child got into an altercation with another child that lives in the same yard and the mother believed that her child was wrong and gave too much problem. She then exploded on the child, which seems to be the norm,” said the source.

The source charged that this was the third time that the mother was battering the child.

According to the source, the first assault took place a few years ago. At that time the mother allegedly beat the little girl until her right thumb was broken.

In the second incident, which the source claimed took place last year, the child’s nose was broken.

“In the last two instances nothing was done. In fear of a possibly fourth instance and maybe death of the child, I would like it to be publicly known. I am of the opinion that when instances such as this are in the public sphere, it comes under a higher level of scrutiny and it is not swept under the carpet or ignored,” the source said.

“As a well-thinking Jamaican, I am not only concerned about this child in question only, but all of the nation’s children. The unfortunate thing that now exists is that the child in question has a nine-year-old sibling living at the same address. If it is that this child in question was beaten so severely, I am wondering if the other child is safe,” the source added.