Neighbour scalds nursing mother with hot water during a dispute

Neighbour Esther Williams, has been arrested by
the Isheri division of the Lagos State Police
Command for pouring hot water on a nursing
mother, Mabel Enwongomfon–Umoh.
Williams, allegedly emptied a bucket of hot water
on Mabel after they had a little argument on
Thursday, December 24, 2015 at around 8pm.
The incident left Mabel, who was still
breastfeeding her two-month-old baby, with
severe burns on many parts of her body, including
her breasts and abdomen and she has not been
able to breastfeed her baby since the incident
happened.
Mabel, 27, who was evidently writhing in pains on
the hospital bed explained what led to the
altercation.
She said:
“My neighbour’s brother and his girlfriend
were fighting and they pushed themselves
to the front of my door. When I could not
cope with the disturbance again, I went
outside to call the guy’s sister to come and
separate them or make them leave our
entrance.
“As I was going back to my room, Williams,
who had nothing with the fight, asked why I
called the sister, saying I was interfering in
something that did not concern me. I told
her that they were fighting in front of my
room, but she pushed me. I was surprised
because we never had a quarrel before
then.
“That was how we started shouting on
each other.”
She said her husband who was in the room with
their two children heard the shouting match
between her and their neighbour then intervened
and asked her to go back into the room with
him.
She said on their way back to their apartment
when Williams ran into her room and ran back
out with a bucket of hot water and poured it on
her.
She said
“I was in the front while my husband was
behind me. Suddenly, she went into her
room and came out with a bucket and
poured the content on me.
“I have been in serious pain since then, and
I have not been able to breastfeed my two-
month-old baby, who is my second child.”
The husband of the victim, who identified himself
as Umoh, said that Williams attempted to escape
after assaulting his wife, but he was able to
apprehend and hand her over to the police.
A police source Williams had confessed to the
crime but blamed the devil for the crime.
“She would be charged to court,” the source said.