Girl, 10, beaten up by classmates, dies

Ten-year-old Marlyn Estrelles died a peacemaker.

Last Feb. 5, Marlyn, a Grade 3 pupil, intervened when two male classmates had a quarrel with another classmate inside their classroom at the Silangan Elementary School in San Mateo, Rizal.

But instead of heeding her plea, the two boys turned their ire on her and beat her up. She died eight days later.

Marlyn’s mother Lourdes reported the incident to the police only yesterday. But since the "suspects" are minors, the police are summoning their parents to a meeting with Mrs. Estrelles today to determine what action to take.

Police prober PO3 Reynaldo Año said Marlyn tried to pacify her two classmates, aged nine and 10, when they had an altercation with another classmate.

Irked by her action and apparently thinking that she was siding with their "enemy," the two boys punched her on the back and on the head, near her ear.

Año said their teacher, who was standing at the door then, was caught unawares because of the rapid turn of events and failed to promptly stop the beating.

Año said Marlyn felt dizzy when she got home. She told her parents about the incident only the following day.

The girl complained of body pains but her parents, saying they did not have money, did not bring her to the hospital. Her mother is a laundrywoman, and her father a laborer.

However, on Feb. 11, when Marlyn could no longer bear the pain, her parents rushed her to the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina City. Doctors discovered that she had an internal bleeding in the stomach. Two days later, Marlyn died.

Año said Marlyn’s parents appeared not keen on filing a case against the two boys and merely wanted financial help so they could give their daughter a decent burial.