Mother of nine will stand trial for hitting child, 5, with wooden spoon

Apr 25, 2023

A mother of nine accused of repeatedly hitting an already traumatised five-year-old girl with a wooden spoon "because she wanted to" has been committed to stand trial.

Rebecca Beverley Naawi, 42, is charged with child cruelty and six assault offences over alleged incidents that occurred during four months until May 2022.

The child's mother left the girl with Naawi in January 2022 after the five-year-old had endured a "traumatising incident", prosecutor Eddie Fraser told a court during earlier proceedings.

When the young child was returned to her mother following Child Safety services concerns four months later, she was covered in bruises, scars and lesions, the court was told during bail proceedings..

The child complained that Naawi had repeatedly assaulted her with the spoon and a couple of times with her hand, at one stage "for a long period of time on her back".

Mr Fraser said when asked by the child why she was being hit, Naawi responded "because she wanted to".

Naawi was committed to stand trial in the Brisbane District Court at a date yet to be decided after a brief committal before Magistrate Belinda Merrin on Friday.

Her lawyer conceded there was a prima facie case against Naawi, who did not enter a plea.

The court heard the mother of nine was working as a housekeeper.

Naawi will face trial on one charge of cruelty to children under 16 years for allegedly causing harm to a child by failing to provide adequate food, medical treatment and care.

She also faces five counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.