Police in the southern province of Binh Duong will prosecute a couple for brutally beating their three-year-old daughter.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, 26, from the southern province of Dong Nai and her husband Do Trong Minh, 27, from the southern province of Vinh Long were arrested last Sunday.

They will be charged with "intentionally inflicting injury on, or causing harm to, the health of other persons," pursuant to Article 104 of the Penal Code.

Their daughter was rushed to hospital last Friday by neighbours who found the girl lying on the floor of the couple's room in Di An Commune with a swollen face and bruised eyes.

After examining the girl, doctors at Binh Duong General Hospital said she had suffered cranial trauma, along with wounds to the eyes and head. She was unconscious and very weak on arrival, but is recovering and can now speak, according to doctors.

The couple has not obtained a certificate of marriage, but they have lived together since 2010. They have not yet applied for a birth certificate for their daughter.

Trang confessed to police that she beat the girl's buttocks and hands with a bamboo stick last Wednesday night when the girl was playing with the gas stove.

Minh later joined the beating, punching and hitting their daughter, according to police. They told the girl to kneel on the floor as further punishment.

Trang works in the garment sector, while Minh left his job as a security guard two months ago and has since been jobless.

Under current regulations, those found to intentionally inflict injury on, or cause harm to, the health of other persons receive sentences ranging from six months in jail to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of their offense.

VNS/VNN