13-Month-Old Baby Battling For Life After Minor Caretaker Kicked And Punched Her For Crying

A toddler has sustained multiple rib fractures and has been fighting for her life after her teenage caretaker brutally assaulted her for crying.

The horrific assault took place in the northern Indian state of Haryana on March 15. The 13-month-old baby's parents left home, leaving her under the care of a minor caretaker, police said Wednesday. When the parents came back after an hour, they found the baby crying uncontrollably. They took the toddler to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition, reported Times Now News.

The police arrested the 15-year-old girl, who had been employed by the family as a domestic helper, for allegedly assaulting the infant. When interrogated, the teenage girl told the police that the baby "fell accidentally" and started crying. She also admitted to kicking and punching the toddler when she could not calm her down.

"The girl beat the child with her hands and feet, punching and kicking her. She has claimed that the child was crying and she was irritated with her because of this. The injuries to the child are life-threatening," Aman Yadav, assistant commissioner of police, said as per news outlet The Indian Express.

The medical examination revealed that the toddler has four fractured ribs and suffers injuries to her pancreas, kidney, liver and spleen.

The family employed the teenager three months ago. This was her first job.

"We treated her well and never faced any problem. She never showed any anger and she took care of the child," the toddler's father told Times Of India.

The teenager has been charged with an attempt to murder and causing grievous bodily harm. The police also have filed charges against the toddler's parents for illegally employing the juvenile for work.

According to a report, there are around 152 million children engaged in child labor worldwide, out of which around 7.3% are in India. The rural India has the highest percentage of child laborers, which accounts for around 80% of the country's total burden. In 2011, over 10 million child laborers in the same country were under the age of 14.