This 12-year-old girl abused for years by her dad who burnt her so badly she lost her hands has been saved by a local charity that helped her fulfil her lifelong dream of spending the day at the beach.

Schoolgirl Juanita from the south-eastern Mexican State of Guerrero told Mexican TV channel Telemundo about the abuse she and her nine siblings suffered at the hands of their father.

Juanita explained during the interview that her father, who was not named, started abusing her at the age of four, routinely beating and burning her whilst threatening to make things even worse if she reached out for help.

She told Telemundo: “He used to beat my mum and then he would turn his attention to me and my nine siblings.”

Doctor Jesus Galeana, president of the Foundation ‘Latidos de Amor’, a charity that works with socio-economically challenged groups, has been helping Juanita.

Galeana detailed one of the most shocking incidents which saw Juanita tied to a tree by her neck and beaten for hours until she eventually passed out.

The doctor explained in an Instagram post that the young girl had also been burnt so badly that she was scarred for life and she lost her hands as a result.

Galeana added that the young girl’s father sold her to a man who intended to sexually abuse her but Juanita was able to escape.

The foundation organised a gesture of goodwill for the young girl and on 16th May they organised a trip for her to the seaside.

Galeana said that Juanita’s eyes filled with joy when she fulfilled one of her dreams and finally saw the sea.

The doctor added that it breaks her heart hearing the young girl wrestle with her nightmares at night screaming “leave me alone, stay away!” in her sleep.

The foundation led by Doctor Galeana reports that since escaping from her father her life has improved drastically and that they intend to keep working with the young girl – because although they cannot undo the past they can help to give her a future.