This is the story of Lisa; a child born into circumstances no child should ever deserve, with a family no one should ever have. It’s a work of fiction, but inspired by real events.
Every day, tens of thousands of children are abused in their own homes – this is absolutely unacceptable. This is not just a story about Lisa; it also involves her brother. To put it bluntly, it’s about every individual child, all over the world, silently suffering.
Lisa was born in a suburb of London in 2004.
There was already a boy in the family, Lisa’s older brother, John, who was just a year old when Lisa arrived.
It didn’t take long before Lisa and John found themselves in foster care, social workers deemed their natural parents unable to provide the care their children needed.
But after just a few years in their new family, it became apparent that Lisa was being subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of her foster father.
As a result, John and Lisa were moved back to their biological parents.
However, her natural mother didn’t want to care for Lisa; she saw her more as a burden. Despite the fact that Lisa was only six years old, her mother believed her behavior was inappropriate and sexual. As a result, she chose to physically discipline her, rather than showing her love and care.
John was also regularly beaten, but it was Lisa who received the harshest treatment.
As the years went by, it got worse. It got so bad that Lisa couldn’t participate in school gymnastics anymore. She was afraid to undress in front of her classmates, as they would see the multitude of scars and bruises adorning her undernourished body.
Sometimes, a family social worker would call, but since the mother told her that the family was thriving, no home visits were made. The abuse continued.
It escalated to the point where Lisa was kicked and beaten. Worse; sometimes, instruments were used. Steel pipes, a hammer… her father even once grabbed a machete.
She would belittle Lisa with terms like ‘whore,’ ‘slut,’ and ‘freak’.
Lisa was weak and began to dangerously malnourish. Her brother would often try to give her food, but if caught, he would also be beaten. However, the violence towards him was not as severe as what was done to Lisa every day.
On one occasion, Lisa’s mother hit her so hard that she broke several bones in her hand.
After the mother was hospitalized with her own injuries, social services began to get suspicious.
During a visit, made two weeks after that incident, the services were presented with the couple’s son. He was well-dressed, his hair combed. Nevertheless, the workers knew something was wrong. When they asked him where his younger sister was, he just shook his head.
After a short time, the helpers left the house. They returned shortly after; this time, with the police.
They conducted a search of the rundown and filthy house. It wasn’t until they found a wardrobe, and opened the doors to look inside, that they discovered something none of them would ever be able to forget.
In the wardrobe, lying in a cesspit of feces and urine, was Lisa. Her body was in such a poor state that she could barely sit up.
The young girl was immediately taken to the hospital. There, multiple doctors tried to keep her alive. But Lisa’s body had given up.
She passed away after three days, at the young age of nine.
Exactly what Lisa died from remains a mystery. Many believe it was simply the lack of love, care, and tenderness. She had no reason to stay alive, so she let herself slip away.
Later, the police conducted another search to find evidence they could use against her parents. At that time, they found a crumpled note under her pillow.
The note read:
“What did I do wrong? All I ever wanted was for my mom and dad to love me. Just like my classmates’ parents loved them. I don’t know why I never died. I always tried to be polite and do things like my mom asked. But I was always a disappointment, and people like me don’t deserve to live.”
Lisa’s parents both received long prison sentences. John has since been moved to a new family, one that loves him and is willing to provide everything a child should have.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Lisa. Lisa was let down time and time again. By her family, by social services, by her school, and by her foster family.
All children deserve to be loved. Nevertheless, children worldwide are being abused; every second, every minute, every hour of every day.
A child has the right to live in a home free from violence. They need love, care, and attention – something as simple as a hug can be more valuable than you can imagine.
Share this story with all your friends on Facebook. Let’s spread the word in hopes of making a difference.
*** The girl in the above photo is in no way related to the events discussed in this article.
