Earlier this year, Russia’s social networks were stunned by the story of Aisha Azhigova. The seven-year-old girl was brought to a hospital in Nazran, in Ingushetia, in a terrible state. Aisha was diagnosed with fractures of both arms and several vertebrae, as well as bruises, burns and even human bites on her body. Delay in treating Aisha in hospital led to gangrene and she had to have part of her right arm amputated, despite medics from an emergency children’s surgery and trauma centre fighting to save it.
It turned out that Aisha’s aunt, Makka Ganiyeva, had been beating the child. Her parents were divorced and her father had left home to find work, leaving his daughter with his sister, who was also bringing up two sons with her husband.
No one had official custody of the girl, and the local authorities were basically unaware of her existence. Makka Ganiyeva is now under arrest.
