In a horrendous example of how not to be a parent, a video of a father beating his daughter has gone viral. The man, a Palestinian living in Saudi Arabia, can be seen holding his 3-year-old daughter by the head before slapping her and lifting her up by her ears, in an attempt to “teach her to walk.”
The video has garnered over 31,000 views and comments, with many social media users condemning the man, calling him the “devil” and calling the scene “heartbreaking to watch.” Users also tagged UNICEF in their posts in order to gain aid and protective services for the young girl.
The man also took to social media to justify his actions, claiming that the video was “old” and saying: “I was teaching the girl to walk, look she is walking well now.” He shows his daughter in a more recent video, sitting on his lap.
He also mentioned that his wife, the mother of his four children, left him and used the video to get back at him. He said, “I’ve been taking care of my four children for the last two weeks. They are not abused now. They are all fine. It’s an old video and I have repented to God. Back then I was going through psychological problems.”
Thankfully, the Riyadh police have now arrested him for “torturing” his daughter and will provide care for his four children in coordination with the concerned authorities.
Warning: The video is incredibly graphic, discretion is advised.
Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development spokesperson Khaled Aba Khail tweeted: “The Violence Reporting Center is verifying the video and looking for the man who appeared abusing a child. Colleagues are coordinating with the competent authorities to reach the man. The Saudi child protection system and its executive regulations will be applied on him.”