Police have located a 15 year-old girl from the Villingili orphanage ‘Kudakudhinge Hiya’, who escaped while she was admitted to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
Police identified the girl as Shaba Ali Rasheed, 15, of Madharusaadhoshuge in Hulhudhoo, Addu City.
According to police, the girl was located near ADK hospital this afternoon around 3:23 pm after she escaped on Saturday night.
Police issued a statement this morning informing the public that they had commenced a search to find the 15 year-old, who fled after she was admitted to IGHM.
IGMH Spokesperson Zeenath Ali Habeeb told Minivan News the girl was admitted to the hospital a week ago and she was under the charge of the Gender Ministry.
She declined to provide further information regarding why the girl was admitted tohospital.
‘’When she was brought here she was under the charge of Gender Ministry and without the consent of the ministry the hospital cannot provide information about her,’’ Zeenath said.
Spokesperson for the Gender Ministry Aishath Rameela did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.
A growing number of under-age girls in the Villingili orphanage have recently escaped the institution, either to be returned or sent to other state care facilities.
On March 13, the Gender Ministry admitted to transferring two children from the Villlingili island orphanage ‘Kudakudhunge Hiya’ to the Centre for People with Mental Disability on the island of Guraidhoo, without determining if they were in fact special needs children.
On March 5, police returned seven under-aged females who had escaped the orphanage.
In January 2013, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) called for the immediate release of two underage females living in the Villingili orphanage, who had been arrested and sent to Maafushi prison. Local media alleged the girls had been discovered “fraternising with boys”.
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I'm interested in the word 'escaped'. In The Maldives, is the word 'orphanage' synonymous with the word 'prison'?
Waiting to hear as to why the child had to escape!!!!!
Certainly!
The present president came from UNICEF (but has now changed his mind), and the VP a major hotel owner. I am waiting for the next headlines: "Women and children escape from the Maldives..", "Bangladeshi worker escapes from Maldivian owner.." and "tourist escapes from tourist resort..".
hahah welcome to maldives: the paradise prison