Thai couple accused of physically and sexually abusing girl

A Thai mother accused two of her friends of physically and sexually abusing her four year old daughter after the girl sustained multiple injuries to her body, brain, and genitals. The babysitting couple deny the charges.

The 26 year old woman, A, filed a complaint against the couple, a 33 year old woman named Rattanaporn Banyen and a 29 year old man named Subsin Duangkunlasa, at Bangmulnak Police Station in the Isaan province of Phichit.

A said she suspected Rattanaporn and Subsin of brutally assaulting her four year old daughter Bee, leaving the girl in a critical condition. According to A, Bee had wounds and bruises all over her body, her brain was damaged, and her vagina had been severely harmed.

A explained that she hired Rattanaporn and Subsin to take care of her daughter in November of last year because she had to work on a construction site in Bangkok. She trusted the couple because they were her friends.

Unexpectedly, A was notified on March 17 that her daughter fell off a bicycle, had a seizure, and lost consciousness. The couple informed A that they took the girl to the Taphan Hin Crown Prince Hospital in Phichit province before the girl was transferred to Sawanpracharak Hospital in Nakhon Sawan province.

A immediately travelled to Nakhon Sawan to check on her daughter. From a medical examination, she strongly believed that Rattanaporn and Subsin had physically and sexually assaulted the girl. She vowed to pursue legal action against them to the fullest extent.

Deny accusations

A Taphan Hin Crown Prince Hospital doctor, Wisit Apisitwittaya, told Channel 3 that Bee was admitted to the hospital without consciousness. Her eyes were wide but unresponsive. Her head was swollen, her body bore several bruises and wounds, and a trace of sexual assault was evidenced on her genitals.

An officer from the Bangmulnak Police Station, Wichian Lorphichit, disclosed that officers already questioned four people from both parties and already received a medical report from the two hospitals.

With clear medical evidence, Rattanaporn and Subsin were charged under Section 297 of the Criminal Law for assaulting another person resulting in serious injury. The penalty is imprisonment between six months to 10 years and a fine between 10,000 and 200,000 baht.

Police also charged Subsin for sexually assaulting the girl. The penalty is imprisonment from seven to 20 years, a fine from 140,000 baht to 400,000 baht, or both according to Section 277 of the Criminal Law: sexually assaulting children aged under 13 years old.

Despite the evidence, the couple denied all allegations, prompting police to continue the investigation.