Magura child rape: Survivor’s condition worsens after two cardiac arrests

The physical condition of the eight-year-old rape survivor from Magura has further deteriorated, with the child suffering two cardiac arrests this morning (12 March), reports Prothom Alo.

The child remains on life support at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.

A member of the medical board overseeing her treatment at CMH told Prothom Alo, "Her condition has worsened. She is now in the most critical phase. Around 8am today, she suffered her first cardiac arrest, but we managed to revive her. Later, she went into cardiac arrest again, and once more, she was revived. However, her brain remained unresponsive, with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 3."

The GCS measures a person's level of consciousness, with a normal score being 15. A score of 3 indicates a lack of brain response.

The doctor further explained, "When she was strangled during the assault, her brain was deprived of oxygen. She remained in that state until she was brought to the hospital at 11am the next day."

"The prolonged lack of oxygen has caused significant brain damage. Had she been provided oxygen immediately after the incident, the extent of the damage could have been reduced," the doctor added. 

The eight-year-old child was raped by her sister's father-in-law, who was allegedly helped by his son last Wednesday night (5 March).

On Thursday morning (6 March), the child was taken to Magura's 250-bed hospital in an unconscious state by her sister's mother-in-law. Her mother arrived shortly after. 

Later that day, she was transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday night. 

By Friday night (7 March), she was placed on life support.

On Saturday evening (8 March), the critically ill child was moved from DMCH's PICU to CMH for advanced care. 

A medical board, led by CMH's chief surgeon and comprising eight specialists, including experts in surgery, gynaecology, plastic surgery, paediatric neurology, anaesthesia, paediatric cardiology, and thoracic surgery, has been formed for her treatment.

The child's mother filed a case accusing four individuals, including the victim's sister's father-in-law Hitu Sheikh, 42, — while the other three accused, including her sister's husband Sajib Sheikh, 18, mother-in-law Jaheda Khatun, 45, and brother-in-law Ratul Sheikh, 20.

The accused have been arrested and are currently on remand.

Meanwhile, DNA samples have been collected from three of the male accused for forensic testing. 

Yesterday (11 March), they were brought from Magura to the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) DNA profiling lab in Dhaka, where the victim's DNA samples were also submitted.

Confirming the development, Magura Additional Superintendent of Police Md Mirajul Islam told Prothom Alo, "The three accused have been sent back to Magura district jail."

In the wake of this case, reports of rape and attempted rape have surfaced nationwide, including attacks on women, teenagers, and children.