A mother has expressed her anger after her little girl’s hair was shaved without her permission.
Seven-year-old Tru Robinson had her long hair cut by carers at the Little Heroes Home in Dracut, Massachusetts. Her mother Denise claims she wasn’t asked beforehand.
The staff reportedly took the action for “hygiene reasons”; something Denise disagreed with.
“There was no hygenical reason for them to shave my child’s head,” she told local news outlet NECN.
“There was no head lice. There was no bed bugs. There was no, what I refer to as, rasta locks going on.
“Her hair was two pony tails on the side on Saturday and it was braided in the ponytails and there was nothing wrong.
“I am very upset. And I’m not going to stop being upset because I feel like my child was assaulted and violated.
“For them to do this, it’s very upsetting, not just to me but to her.”
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Denise suggested that race might have been factor.
“Anyone who knows me knows I never claim racism,” she wrote.
“But why was my daughter’s head shaved? There are 3 other girls in her class, 2 white girls, one black, none of these girls got scaled. My child is mixed race and her hair was full and curley (sic).”
Attorney Richard Kendell, who is pursuing legal action on behalf of the family, said the little girl was told her hair would grow back straight.
“The volunteer informed this seven-year-old biracial child that by shaving her head, her hair would grow back straight,” he said. “I find that appalling.”
The Little Heroes Home has said it is investigating what happened and will take whatever action is appropriate.
It’s a group home for children aged between 5 and 11 where children learn to overcome mental and emotional issues. Tru lives there several days a week.
