Saudi- Father says his autistic daughter was abused

(MENAFN- Arab News) Authorities are investigating the abuse of an autistic girl on her first day of school at an autism center in Jeddah.

Majid Al-Harbi five-year-old Ghanad's father said he had dropped his daughter off at the center before heading off to work early in the morning only to find her legs and back bruised when he came back to pick her up at noon.

Ghanad who was given to an Asian worker was unable to tell her father what happened.

'I immediately went to the police who gave me a formal letter to refer my child to the Jeddah's Maternity and Children Hospital' he said.

'The hospital report concluded that my daughter had been abused.'

Al-Harbi expressed hope that his daughter's abuser would be punished. 'It hurts so much to see that a little girl who cannot express herself has been abused and maltreated in this way' said Al-Harbi.

The center's administration however denied the incident to local media and said that no such abuse has ever been reported at the center since its establishment. Authorities at the center launched an investigation into the incident.

The child's teacher confirmed she did not see any bruises on the child adding that the child is hyper active because of her autistic condition.

The administration said they had also contacted Ghanad's mother to accompany the girl during the rehabilitation period but she declined because she had work.