8-year-old Nigerian girl Victoria Aluko died as a result of a rare condition, and not because she was malnourished, Family Minister Michael Falzon told Parliament this evening.

On 22 January the government had initially said that the girl was found dead at the Dominican residence in Zabbar, where she lived with her family.

Both the government and the Church say the family was not under their care.

Last week Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that the girl’s siblings had been placed under a care order. A magisterial inquiry and an independent investigation are currently underway.

Falzon said the girl died of a condition known as aplastic anaemia, which is a rare condition affecting the bone marrow. He said tests showed that the girl’s siblings were not malnourished.  

The minister clarified that the girl died at Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department. He said he did not have this information in hand when the government made a statement in Parliament about the girl’s death .

Falzon said Agenzija Appogg is currently dealing with 151 child protection cases. Another 270 children are also being monitored at home with their parents.

The agency, he said, works with over 400 children living in residential homes or with foster carers. He described social workers as ‘unsung heroes.’