A female housekeeper in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has been allegedly tortured by her employer over the past month, to the point that she had lost her baby, only five months into pregnancy.

Y Nhieu, 23, residing in Dak Glei District, Kon Tum Province, is being treated at a local medical center for multiple wounds reportedly caused by her employer, according to Colonel Le Manh Hung, the district's police chief.

Layers of scars, burn marks, and untreated injuries can be found across Nhieu’s body, Hung said on Saturday.

One of her ears and a finger on her right hand suffered serious infection and were about to become necrotic.

Her left arm showed signs of paralysis, while multiple bones had been broken.

Severe wounds were also found on her breast and genitals, a doctor stated.

Preliminary information showed that Nhieu had left her hometown to work for Nguyen Thi Ha, who is often called Nga, in neighboring Gia Lai Province in September 2014.

Nhieu first worked as a waitress at Nga’s coffee shop but later became her housekeeper.

The physical abuse began in June 2018, when Nga accused Nhieu of stealing more than VND1 billion (US$43,684), the victim recalled.

Nga hit Nhieu's body with an iron baton and used a wooden stick with nails on it to hit her head, face, and hands, causing her to bleed.

“She even placed a clothes iron on my body, and cut my ears, face, chest, and back with scissors. She hit my teeth with a hammer and used pliers to pluck some of them,” Nhieu recalled the horrifying experience.

The victim shows her missing teeth, which are said to have been plucked by Nga. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The brutal torture also led to Nhieu’s miscarriage of her five-month pregnancy.

The victim added that Nga’s violence arose from her jealousy, as she assumed Nhieu had had a baby with her husband.

On July 10, Nhieu managed to escape from Nga after having failed to do so many times before due to Nga's subordinates' tight supervision.

On July 11, two local women found Nhieu exhausted and unconscious at the Ia Linh Bridge in Pleiku City, Gia Lai.

They took care of her, giving her food and water before a man took Nhieu home and reported it to police. She was then hospitalized.

Worried and afraid she could not afford to pay the fees, Nhieu sneaked out of the hospital and was given money by one local to take a bus back to her hometown in Dak Glei District, Kon Tum Province.

Police in Dak Glei District previously instructed Nhieu’s family to file a report of the case.

Upon being notified, officers in Gia Lai summoned Nga on July 12, who later admitted to beating the victim.

Nga was showing signs of being high on crystal meth during the working session and later tested positive for drugs.

Officers have sent Nga to the provincial rehab center and will conduct an assessment of Nhieu’s injuries.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!