The video of the monster maid, 22-year-old Jolly Tumusiime who was recorded on CCTV camera battering a hapless two year old angel is now viral. Parents are beginning to think twice about whether they should live their little ones in the care of nannies or they should take them to day care centres while they work.
Tumusiime’s case is just a tip of the iceberg of the evils that maids can do to children. There have been several grave cases of maids mistreating children, sometimes leading to death.
“In extreme situations maids or helpers have suffocated babies to death,” says Uganda Police spokesperson Fred Enanga.
“There are also cases of babies being stuffed them in fridges,” Enanga says of the complaints police has received against house helps.
There are also cases of maids who have injected innocent babies with HIV/Aids infected blood, Enanga adds.
There are also documented cases of maids sexually molesting infants according to police reports.
But according to Enanga, sometimes it is because of psychological problems that maids suffer that leads them to commit these heinous acts.
“Before you hire a maid, review them by doing a background check from friends, neighbours, local area police, local council or persons who hired them,” Police advises.
“Take time to know the family or origin of the maid should any incidents arise in the course of her work,” he advises.