Mother jailed for torturing baby to death

dubai — An Emirati mother has been jailed for three years for stepping on her 14-month-old baby’s stomach and causing his death.

She had pleaded not guilty to a murder charge earlier.

According to the public prosecution records, the 33-year-old mother’s constant physical abuse caused his death in July 2016.

“No, I did not kill him your honour. I was taking him for treatment,” the defendant earlier claimed before the presiding judge of the Dubai Court of First Instance. “I was taking good care of him.”

A maid employed by the defendant testified that she had witnessed how the mother would forcibly make her child eat and even throw him in the bathroom for his bath. “I noticed once she was pressing on his stomach but she stopped when she saw me.”

The Indonesian maid said that the defendant used to be violent with her baby. “Once I heard him crying. When I was called, I could see blood on his clothes on the floor.”

The baby was rushed to a hospital on July 16 last year but he died shortly later. The incident was reported to Al Qusais police.

no, I did not kill him your honour. I was taking him for treatment. I was taking good care of him.” The mother

“The baby was brought several times to the hospital. Once he suffered fractures in his skull and thigh bone and another time, he was admitted with brain haemorrhage,” a doctor who treated the victim said.

The doctor added that the baby had multiple injuries.

The mother’s sister said the defendant would tie the baby’s legs with a headscarf. She claimed she spotted bruises on the baby’s face and neck which were covered by some cream.

According to the forensic report, the cause of death was severe abdomen internal bleeding.

mary@khaleejtimes.com