“Lazy” maid tortured to death with boiling water, court hears

A woman in Abu Dhabi allegedly tortured her maid to death for being lazy and not doing the housework properly.

According to The National the Emirati woman pleaded not guilty in court to assault leading to the death of her Ethiopian maid.

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court heard last week that the accused woman's children witnessed regular beatings of the maid, which including tying her up, whipping her, throwing scalding water over her body and rubbing pepper in her eyes.

An autopsy concluded her death was caused by several burns over her body, which had become infected. Her eyes showed evidence of bleeding from the torture, which had occurred over a period of time.

The woman, who was not named, admitted torturing her maid but denied pouring boiling water on her.

"I only beat her up, I just wanted her to do the housework properly – I didn't mean to hurt or kill her."

“I was angry,” she told the court.

The Ethiopian Review reported the maid was found dead in the family's bathroom. It said the woman's two children saw her beating the Ethiopian maid daily after she moved in with them in July, during Ramadan.

The accused woman's son reported the death to police.

The case has been adjourned to December 31.