Evil Uncle SA’d Her Until Her Spine Fell Out, People Said She Deserved It

When the average person is asked to picture a modern-day war-torn country, what do you think is the first thing they picture in their heads? Groups of people shooting at each other, bombings, and destroyed buildings. There’s one aspect of war that many might fail to consider at first, and that is crimes of opportunity. One of the most horrifying cases we’ve seen this year involved a little girl and her uncle who didn’t just have evil intentions involving her, but wanted a whole village to see exactly what he did. What’s even worse than that is not only was he able to avoid prosecution for a while, he, along with many other people, were trying to hunt down this little girl’s mother simply for seeking justice for her.

Heaven Awat was a 7-year-old girl living in Ethiopia. She is sometimes referred to as Faven, but the general meaning is still the same: radiance, light, and blessing. Although the date of her birth is unclear, it’s been reported that she was born in September of 2016. Heaven also had a sister who was about four years younger than her. Her mother, Abecules, was a nurse. On days that she had to work, she often left her daughter in the care of relatives. When Abecules would come home after her shifts, Heaven scurried to give her mother a big hug. It was the highlight of her day.

During her short life, Heaven became very familiar with the concept of war and its consequences on everyday people. The Tigray region of Ethiopia was the center of military conflict. On one side was the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which was essentially the federal government. The other was the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which has been described as an ethnic nationalist paramilitary group and officially classified as a terrorist organization by multiple countries up until 2023, and has been connected to several human rights violations. The conflict was the product of complex tensions going as far back as the 1990s, and arguably even further than that. It lasted from 2020 to 2022, with a rebellion in 2023 and further political conflict to this day.

As is the case with many other civil wars, the conflict led to destruction in Ethiopia, especially in the Amhara and Tigray regions in the north. Both factions accused the other of war crimes, blockades, famine, and civilian deaths in the thousands. A third of the population had to relocate. It’s reported that humanitarian aid was limited to certain parts of Ethiopia, and there still isn’t an exact number of casualties from this period. This is obviously a very oversimplified version of a very complicated period of recent history. We bring it up because it does become relevant in the more recent coverage of Heaven’s story.

For better or worse, Heaven’s story is often told through the lens of the conflict’s aftermath in an effort to understand why things happened the way they did. Heaven was among many displaced from their homes. Her father, who was a man of Tigray ethnicity, was imprisoned by the federal government. As far as we can tell, the reason as to why was never reported. He may have been actively part of the liberation front, or he may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Following his release and reportedly feeling unsafe in Amhara, he fled to Tigray. Doing so, he left his family behind, and Abecules found herself a single mother to two young girls. Aside from his absence in his family’s life, we don’t know much else about Heaven’s father. We don’t know his name, his age, what he looks like, or what he did for a living. In the grand scheme of things, Heaven’s father is a minor figure in today’s case. Still, it’s hard not to imagine how Heaven’s story could have been different if her family had remained intact.

While living in the city of Bahir Dar, Heaven and her mother became acquainted with their landlord, Getnet Bea. Abecules and Heaven were related to Getnet’s 15-year-old wife, so the mother felt like they were in a safe environment. There was no indication that Getnet was a dangerous individual. On August 1st, 2023, Abecules went to work and left her daughters in the care of Getnet’s wife, who was their aunt. Heaven excused herself to use the bathroom, and she never came back. The aunt knew something was wrong and went searching for her niece. Maybe she got lost, or distracted, or went looking for something.

No one could have predicted what happened to Heaven during the period she was missing. Getnet Bea had lured Heaven away to an isolated place where he essayed her. He forced sand down her throat so she couldn’t scream. By the time it was over, Heaven’s muscles were severely damaged from the inside. We will spare you some of the more terrible details, but purely to highlight how evil this man was, it should be noted that his attack on Heaven was so brutal that her spine had partially fallen out of her. The dirt and sand turned into a cement-like paste in her mouth. To cover up his crime, Getnet strangled Heaven. She was so small, he only needed to use one hand and his fingertips. He subsequently doused her with a bucket of bleach to wash the blood from her and cut her with a razor. He left her on the front doorsteps under a balcony to make it look like she had fallen. It was a place he knew where she would be seen by not just her family, but by the neighbors as well.

In an interview with Ethio Media, Heaven’s mother, Abecules, shared the following: “You can only see her spinal cord. Her uterus is gone. She bled. He suffocated her. He used his five fingers to strangle her by the throat. His five fingers were found on her throat. She bled a lot. He used a bucket to wash her body. After he washed her, he opened the door. Where does he leave her? On the edge of our house where the kids play.”

The person who discovered Heaven was not a passing bystander, nor was it Heaven’s aunt. It was actually Heaven’s three-year-old sister who found her. Heaven was rushed to the Ammon General Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival. Abecules was held back from seeing her daughter due to the horrifying state that she was in. She called out Heaven’s name, hoping in vain for a response. It is said everyone was in tears: doctors, nurses, janitorial staff, and even the security guards. It was clear to the medical professionals that Heaven did not just fall from a balcony. The internal injuries were just too severe to come from a fall and fell more in line with a violent essay. The bruises and marks on her neck were very clearly from strangulation.

Getnet’s wife tried to console the grieving mother, and Getnet himself had the nerve to make himself present. His wife cried with Abecules, but he was unemotional. No tears, no words of condolences, no offers to help her through this difficult time. Nothing at all. Getnet tried to sell the idea that Heaven fell from the balcony. By the time Abecules saw Heaven for herself, she knew that was impossible. Remember, she was a nurse at the time, so she was no stranger to injuries, no matter how severe. Just like the doctors, she knew that her daughter had been assaulted and disposed of like an object. She believed whoever attacked Heaven wanted to leave her someplace where she would be found. They wanted her mother and potentially others to see what was done to her.

It didn’t take long for police to suspect Getnet, as he was unaccounted for during the time Heaven initially went missing. He was arrested by authorities but escaped a short time later. The police station he was held in was populated with detained members of Amhara militias. The militias organized a break-in to free their allies, and Getnet escaped in the chaos. During this time, he threatened Abecules and her younger daughter with deadly force. They moved around to evade him and eventually had to go into hiding. Abecules had to leave her nursing job, and many further jobs after that, out of fear of being found.

As most of our viewers are in the US, and if you are, you might have a hard time comprehending this because here, a man who brutally murdered a child and escaped prison would be priority number one for sure. Someone capable of this would certainly strike again. However, despite the severe charges against him and the potential danger he posed to other children in the community, Getnet was not a high priority for local law enforcement. Abecules made every attempt to get her fears taken seriously, but it took roughly a month for Getnet to be returned to police custody. Even after this, Abecules had to look over her shoulder since his family took it upon themselves to continue threatening her.

Following a trial by the High Court of Bahir Dar, Getnet was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole. The public was outraged, believing the punishment was much too light for such a horrific crime. The Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association were very vocal in their disappointment. They released a public statement which was later quoted by international outlets: “The murder by itself should have been enough to sentence him to life imprisonment or to death. It’s especially sickening and outrageous when such a horrendous crime is committed against children.” However, the High Court in Bahir Dar still thought only 25 years was enough punishment for his crimes because they, and I quote, “concluded that the child died as a result of the defendant’s violence and strangulation when he raped her because she was too young to withstand the pressure.” Now, how that quote is supposed to justify Getnet receiving such a light sentence is beyond me.

Ergogie Tesfaye, who is Ethiopia’s Minister of Women and Social Affairs, added her voice to the chorus. She offered her condolences in a post on Facebook and promised to pursue further litigation against Getnet Bea. Her post, translated from Amharic, reads: “In order to protect children’s rights and safety in our country, the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs is working in coordination with the relevant authorities to save children who are vulnerable due to social problems that are happening in different areas. Especially by establishing a system of action to prevent violence against children and to enable them to get the right and comprehensive services, to ensure that children’s issues are being recorded. The child case management digital system in cooperation with UNICEF is being made to strengthen the coordination works by extending to the kebele, which means a ward or neighborhood. On behalf of our ministry and myself, I would like to express our condolences for the horrible, inhuman crime that happened regarding the child Heaven, who was brutally murdered recently. Although the case has been decided, we would like to express that we will work with the judicial authorities and follow up the case.”

Outrage spread like wildfire as Heaven’s story was told. Her name reached international outlets and platforms. She is by far our most requested case outside of the US and the UK. Even Cardi B shared one of three Change.org petitions. At the time, 200,000 people signed their names to the petition. There are over 300,000 signatures today. Of the other two petitions, one has over 10,000 signatures and the other over 20,000. All three are still open to this day and accepting signatures. The petitions not only demanded a harsher sentence for Getnet, but also protection for Heaven’s mother. Despite the trial’s conclusion, Abecules was still being threatened by Heaven’s aunt and Getnet’s family.

As Heaven’s story spread through petitions, so did word about the light sentence her murderer received. People in the thousands called for a much harsher sentence. Many even wanted to see Getnet executed. These frustrations only grew when he tried to appeal his sentence. This case was said to be adjourned until October of 2024, but there haven’t been any updates since August as far as we could find. It should be noted that Ethiopia’s legal system allows for the death penalty if the courts see fit. The last person to be executed in Ethiopia was a military major who was convicted for assassinating the former head of security. The major made a formal appeal for clemency to the courts in an attempt to reduce his sentence. His wish was not granted, and he was given the death penalty. It was never reported how he died, but per Ethiopian law, he likely faced a firing squad.

Many Ethiopian humanitarians and activists argued that Heaven’s mixed ethnicity played a part in her victimhood. They theorized that Getnet believed Heaven to be lesser than or disposable because of her heritage. Getnet still maintains his innocence, so we cannot know for sure if this was a factor at all. At the end of the day, evil is evil, no matter what the motive is. The Ethiopian government was openly criticized due to their inaction in Heaven’s case, as well as for the spike in violence against women and girls following the conflict. An editorial piece by Ethiopian magazine Addis Standard called it “The Cycle of Silence.” They, among many other organizations, called for change when it comes to cases similar to Heaven, stating: “What is perhaps most alarming is the apparent inaction of the Ethiopian government in addressing these heinous crimes. Despite widespread documentation by international organizations, human rights groups, and the media, there has been a conspicuous lack of effort to investigate, prosecute, and punish those responsible. As a society, we have now reached the level where the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators is not only perpetuating the cycle of sexual violence, but also sending a dangerous message that such crimes are tolerable in times of war and can be expanded outside the context of war without the fear of accountability.”

This editorial also highlighted a common factor in many true crime cases, one that we often recognize but don’t always register immediately. It was Abecules’s efforts, and not those of local law enforcement or government, that put Heaven’s story out there. There have been a countless number of cases where family and friends turn to the media or to true crime creators when they believe investigators have neglected their loved ones. While it can sometimes spur law enforcement to increase their efforts, there are times where nothing changes and all continues as usual. For Heaven, it’s the latter, even after all the public outrage. If not for her mother’s resilience and endurance, the wider world may have never known Heaven Awat’s name. It took until the trial’s initial conclusion for the media to publish her story.

Abecules’s efforts were definitely worthwhile. Members of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association organized a candlelight vigil at Groove Garden Walk, a public garden space in Meskel Square in Addis Ababa. A crowd in the hundreds came to mourn Heaven, but they were forced to leave. As they arrived in droves, federal law enforcement forced them away from the area, claiming that the crowd was not allowed to be there. But a determined group found another spot to hold their vigil. A video of the vigil was uploaded to TikTok by Bethlehem Tadesse, username Sparkleish. She said in the caption: “Yesterday we gathered at Groove Garden Walk for a candle vigil for Heaven, a moment meant to honor her memory and raise our voices against gender-based violence. Hundreds came only to be turned away at the door, told it was canceled, but some of us stayed, determined to do what we came for. Dressed in black with hearts heavy with grief, we were met with disrespect, laughter, loud music, and attempts to silence our pain. But we did not leave defeated. We found a quiet place, a space to mourn, to cry, and to unite. In our tears, we found strength. And in our unity, we built a community that will not be silenced. We formed a WhatsApp group, a space where our voices can be heard, where our pain is acknowledged, and where our fight for justice will continue. We are structuring something strong and resilient. A community of women who will stand together, who will not stop until justice is served. We are here.”

It’s hard to talk about Heaven without discussing the part social media played in her story, especially TikTok. While Heaven’s story shocked and saddened many online, others were openly skeptical. They found the mass media coverage overshadowed the Ethiopian government’s mistreatment of the Amhara people. These critics believed in a coordinated media plot hell-bent on diverting attention from other current events. Moda Corano is a social media content creator and activist focusing on Ethiopian politics. He followed and covered the civil war in Tigray and its aftermath. When he learned of Heaven’s case, he used his platform to say his piece. But rather than express his sympathy for the seven-year-old girl and her family, he chose to do the opposite. Because Heaven was born to a father of Tigray ethnicity, Moda said that she deserved what happened to her. Furthermore, he said her mother deserved a similar fate for marrying a man from Tigray ethnicity.

It’s reported that Moda was already a polarizing, incendiary figure for his community. For some in his audience and some watching from afar, these remarks were too much. His profile and content were mass reported by TikTok users, which eventually got the attention of moderators. Aside from third-party re-uploads, Moda’s content about Heaven and her mother have been removed, including his public apology. It’s reported that another content creator in this space made similar remarks, but unlike Moda, he lived in Ethiopia. It’s reported he was attacked in the street, allegedly for what he said about Heaven. He also apologized for his statements. Take this second story with a grain of salt because this content creator was unnamed in the articles that mentioned him and his attack. However, it does capture the public consensus about Heaven: she was innocent and utterly undeserving of her fate.

Some TikTok pages created and spread misinformation about Heaven’s case. Much of this content was AI-generated. TikTok’s content policy has rules against certain AI content. One of these rules is the prohibition of AI-generated likenesses of people under the age of 18. Given the platform’s algorithm, the misinformation and AI likeness of Heaven were spread across TikTok, which only encouraged content replication. Some have been removed, but others still exist on the creators’ profiles. More recently, in early March of 2025, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue released their findings from a small-scale study about TikTok’s moderation of Amharic posts and comments. It turns out it was easy to bypass the auto hate speech moderation. All you had to do was make posts in this language. Amharic is a low-resource language, meaning that there are limited resources for engines like automods to learn from. So in this case, this means that despite similar content being flagged when it was written in a European-based language, TikTok’s auto moderation didn’t consistently flag inflammatory Amharic posts and comments.

It was reported that some of these comments had English translations alongside them, but the existence of the Amharic text alone was enough of a shield to keep them online. This method to bypass automods was used against many Ethiopian activists who told Heaven’s story. They faced threats to their lives and safety similar to the vitriol directed to her mother. Following the backlash from these findings, TikTok announced an advisory council with an Amharic-speaking Ethiopian professor among its members. While these were more than short anecdotes in Heaven’s story, TikTok users supported Heaven across the board. Ethiopian equal rights activist Jordan Bazba, one of the many victims of the vitriolic Amharic comments and uploads, was credited with starting the hashtag #JusticeForHeaven. It received tons of traffic. People mourned, remembered, and shared their thoughts together:

“So, you mean to tell me that that man is going to be receiving a 25-year prison sentence for brutally unaliving and essaying that 7-year-old girl? Wow, man.”

“I want to talk to you about a 7-year-old girl named Heaven who was sexually assaulted, mutilated, and killed in Ethiopia. My heart is with Heaven’s family and Heaven’s mom, who has been seeking justice for her daughter and shedding light on the violence being experienced by women and girls in Ethiopia. One in three women experience physical, emotional, or sexual violence, and 65% of women have experienced female mutilation. It’s the lack of legal ramifications and comprehensive protections for women and a culture that continues to embolden men to violate the rights of women that has failed Heaven. In the short term, you can support Heaven by signing on to petitions that are being circulated that advocate for a review of the current sentencing that’s being given to her assailant. But as we all know, finding justice for Heaven is just the beginning of seeking protections and equality for women and girls.”

Heaven’s case also gave Ethiopian women and news outlets a chance to speak out with their own experiences with essay, especially within the context of civil war and its aftermath. Not to say they haven’t tried before, but Heaven’s case brought more eyes to the conflicts in Ethiopia. With a wider audience, there was a greater chance to be heard. Heaven’s death destroyed Abecules, but she had to carry on for her younger daughter. She continued to speak on behalf of Heaven after the trial’s conclusion. She said she was no stranger to this kind of violence against women and girls as a former healthcare worker. She told reporters, “I know there are so many Heavens.” Adding, “I can’t sleep or forget about it. It’s very hard. To make it worse, I can’t forget about how she suffered. People say to me, ‘Can you not forget about it?’ It’s very hard. You can only understand if it happened to you. It’s not like other feelings. The death of a child is very hard. She has never been sick. I lost my daughter suddenly. It wasn’t even God. It was in a horrifying way. She had no guilt. She had no sin. I used to be so excited to get home to her. She used to wait for me by the door. ‘Mommy,’ she said, and ran to hug me. When it was winter, I used to just open the door and enter. She would drop. I asked her, ‘What happened?’ ‘Mommy, I want to hug you,’ she used to say. What’s happiness other than this? My daughter is dead. Even after I’ve buried her, I still can’t believe it. I still believe she’s coming back. It’s very hard.”

By the end of 2024, however, the media consciousness moved on. Abecules has retreated from the public eye. There isn’t much information about her now, and next to nothing about Heaven’s father. He never spoke to the media about his daughter’s murder. It’s possible he’s still in hiding, but we will likely never know for sure. Heaven’s sister would be about 5 years old today. She may remember vividly how she found her sister’s body. She also may not remember it at all, just the effect that it had on her mother and her family. Or maybe she’s somewhere in between. Perhaps she’ll speak to the media herself when she’s older. We wish her and her mother nothing but peace. Getnet’s wife, who is Heaven’s aunt, defended him publicly, even allowing herself to be interviewed on camera. She believes his side of the story that Heaven had died from a fall and not from a violent attack. As of 2024, her loyalty to him remains strong as ever, despite public opinion being overwhelmingly against the both of them.

Two songs were written and produced in Heaven’s memory. The first by Zayn Outlander simply titled “Heaven Awat”. The second was by Wings Music Band called “Galawa”. Zayn Outlander was featured in an article for Rolling Hype, a hip-hop and R&B culture and news platform. He said in the article, “When I wrote Heaven Awat, it wasn’t just about creating a song. It was about honoring a life cut short and giving a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves. I wanted people to feel her story and take action. And I’m grateful that the song had such an impact.” The Wings Music Band is a subset of the Ethiopian organization Wings Education and Media. The organization focuses on providing accessible education, creating safe spaces for children to express themselves, and uplifting women and children’s rights. Ethiopia’s Minister of Women has served as a speaker for some of their past events. More recently, the Wings Music Band got to perform for public servants and elected officials on International Women’s Day. As of the date of this recording in April of 2025, there are still tensions in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The neighboring country of Eritrea, which supported the Ethiopian federal government during the Civil War, may soon become Ethiopia’s rival in a new war. Now, should this come to pass, Tigray would again be a battlefield as the nations tried to stake their claims on it. Many children could potentially watch their families break apart, just as Heaven’s did.