A widely criticized video on social media portrayed the distressing punishment of a young Hmong girl by her parents, who accuse her of stealing money to purchase snacks.
The three-minute video capturing the harrowing ordeal has rapidly gone viral on Facebook, prompting concerns over the boundaries of discipline and accusations of extreme child abuse.
The video, recorded by a resident in close proximity to the incident, portrays the young girl hanging from a bamboo stick, her hands and feet bound. The distressing footage captures her cries for help as her grandmother, present at the scene, attempts to untie her. However, the grandmother hesitates, citing fear of the girl’s mother.
“Your mother will beat me up if I help you,” said the grandmother.
According to the video, the child’s parents resorted to this severe punishment after discovering she had allegedly stolen LAK 2000 (approximately USD 0.096) from them to purchase snacks. Adding to the gravity of the situation, the parents opted to leave their daughter tied up as they departed for work downtown. While the precise location is unknown, it is evident from the video’s audio that it lies within the rural areas of Xayaboury Province.
Many commenters decried the parents’ actions as a form of violence and abuse. One Facebook user exclaimed, “Her mother is definitely not human. If I were there, I would immediately help the poor girl!”
As of now, the exact date of the incident remains unclear, but the video continues to circulate, intensifying the public outcry and demand for accountability.
As the social media backlash persists, questions about the incident’s location and the involvement of law enforcement remain unanswered, adding to the urgency for a thorough investigation into what many are denouncing as a case of severe child abuse.
