Protection petitions filed for two girls in mutilation case
MINNEAPOLIS — Authorities in Minnesota have filed child-protection petitions for two sevenyear-old girls who prosecutors say were brought to Michigan by their mothers for a genitalmutilation procedure.
The petitions were filed in Hennepin and Anoka counties on Thursday, the same day a Michigan doctor was charged with performing genital mutilation on the two girls.
According to the FBI, Dr. Jumana Nagarwala was arrested after the girls identified her as the person who performed procedures on them in February at a clinic in suburban Detroit.
It is believed to be the first case of its kind prosecuted in a U.S. federal court.
The petition in Hennepin County said one of the girls was removed from her family’s suburban Minneapolis home and placed in a shelter on a 72-hour health and welfare hold. Her 11-year-old brother remains in the home.
To avoid identifying the girl, the Associated Press is not naming the parents. The family had no comment on Friday.
According to the petition, child-protection services received a report of physical abuse of the girl on Monday and authorities interviewed her.
She told them about the trip she took with her mom, a friend and the friend’s parents. The girl said she went to see a doctor, but was told to keep that secret.
The FBI said Nagarwala, 44, is a member of a cultural community that believes in the practice, but that she denied performing it when interviewed by agents.
She is charged with genital mutilation, making false statements and other crimes and remains in custody pending a Monday court hearing.
In a court filing, the FBI said many more girls have told investigators that Nagarwala performed procedures on their genitals.
Female genital mutilation of minors is illegal in the U.S. unless there’s a legitimate health reason. The World Health Organization said the practice of removing or injuring female genital organs has no known health benefits.
Yet it has been performed on more than 200 million women and girls in 30 countries, according to the World Health Organization.