Girl takes to Instagram to seek police help

14-year-old girl locked in house and beaten by her mother because she bunked school

A14-year-old girl contacted Dubai Police on Instagram after her mother beat her and locked her inside the house and prevented her from going to school, an official said yesterday.

Brigadier Mohammad Al Murr, director of Human Rights Department in Dubai Police, said the Gulf national girl used an iPad to communicate with police through Instagram saying she needed help.

Parents cautioned

“We sent a team of officers to rescue the girl. Her mother had locked her inside because she went out of school with her female friends to a restaurant.

“The girl was beaten by the mother and her father knew everything about it but he didn’t interfere,” Brigadier Al Murr said.

The mother said she was trying to discipline the girl. Brigadier Al Murr said it is not a proper way to treat a teenager.

“Parents should be friends with their children. We warned the mother and make her sign an undertaking that if she repeated the offence she will be referred to public prosecution,” he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Saeed Rashid Al Heli, director of Children and Women Protection at Dubai Police, said the girl was locked inside the house and was not allowed to go to her school for two days.

“Her mother took her phone and physically assaulted her because she bunked school and went to a restaurant without informing the mother.

“The girl claimed she thought of committing suicide because of the continuous beating by her mother,” Lt. Col. Al Heli said.

Dubai Police