A couple is accused of keeping an illegal Indian immigrant as a slave, beating and mistreating her until she literally collapsed.
The woman, who can’t be named, was taken to Box Hill Hospital after she was allegedly found lying in a pool of her own urine at a Melbourne home in 2015.
According to hospital records, the woman had a case of urinary sepsis that would have been fatal if left untreated.
A couple is accused of keeping an illegal Indian immigrant as a slave, beating and mistreating her until she literally collapsed (stock image)
She also suffered from type 2 diabetes, was malnourished, had lesions on her hands and feet, and her teeth had fallen out.
Kumuthini and Kandasamy Kannan were each charged with possessing a slave between July 2007 and July 2015, exercising ownership over a slave, and harbouring an unlawful non-citizen.
They both deny the allegations, claiming ‘all her needs were met’ and that their children regarded her as a grandmother.
A five-day committal hearing started in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday to determine if the Kannans would stand trial.
The woman, who can’t be named, was taken to Box Hill Hospital after she was allegedly found lying in a pool of her own urine at a Melbourne home in 2015
During Monday’s hearing, the court was told that while the Kannans and their children were on holiday, the woman would be locked inside the house without a key, unable to leave.
The court was also told Kumuthini Kannan would beat the woman, who allegedly subsisted on rice and tea, if her house cleaning tasks were not up to standard.
The hearing continues.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.