An 11-year-old girl was found alone on the street in the middle of the night in Sarno, in the hamlet of Lavorate.
She had left home because she was hungry, but fortunately she was noticed by a group of boys who, worried about her condition, immediately alerted the police. The timely intervention of the military led to the tracking down of her mother, a 32-year-old of Ukrainian origin, who was reported for abandonment of a minor.
According to the investigators' reconstruction, the woman had been untraceable for hours, despite numerous attempts to contact her. In the meantime, the child was entrusted to a foster home by order of the judicial authorities.
In recent days, a hearing was held at the Juvenile Court of Salerno to assess the little girl's situation and ascertain any difficulties in her family unit, with the possibility of a revocation of parental authority.
The investigations revealed a context of serious hardship: the child's father is in prison, while the mother has a criminal record and was recently arrested in Naples for possession of crack and a precision scale. The woman pleaded guilty to a six-month sentence during the summary trial.
In court, the 32-year-old defended her actions, declaring that she had always taken care of her daughter, providing for her sustenance with odd jobs and the support of state benefits. She also explained that, that night, she was in contact with the child and that she had instructed a friend to watch over her. However, investigators also found episodes of discontinuity in the minor's school attendance.
Now the decision is up to the Juvenile Court of Salerno, which will have to decide whether to confirm the removal of the child or allow a possible reunion with the mother under specific conditions. In the meantime, the woman remains under investigation at large by the Nocera Inferiore Prosecutor's Office for abandonment of a minor.
Article published on 8 February 2025 - 13:05
