Dubai: A woman is standing trial on the charge of premeditated killing of her 14-month-old son by deliberately stepping on his belly and causing him an internal bleeding.

The Emirati mother was said to have repeatedly turned violent on her newborn and beaten him up on different occasions until his death in July.

Prosecutors accused the mother of intentionally killing her child for reasons that were not disclosed in the records.

The woman missed the hearing when she was scheduled to enter her plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance this week.

The presiding judge adjourned the hearing until the mother is brought from her detention and presented in court on February 2.

The suspect’s younger sister told prosecutors that she noticed bruises and injuries on her nephew’s body.

“He constantly had bruises on his face and around his neck. The suspect used to tie his feet with a sheila and he used to cry all night long. Sometimes I used to hear the sound of a rattle [children’s toy] as long as he cried. Once I also saw a grey bruise under his eye and when I touched that spot, I realised that it had been covered up with cream,” the sister testified to prosecutors.

Meanwhile, an Indonesian maid also told the prosecutors that the suspect was violent with her newborn.

“Since she gave birth to her child, she used to treat the newborn violently … she used to put the spoon in his mouth harshly while feeding him. She also used to shower him on the floor while naked. The deceased used to cry for hours at night without her [suspect] trying to care for him or calm him down. Once I heard a loud noise in the baby’s room and the mother called me quickly and asked me to bring her ice … when I rushed to the room, she had him carried in her arms and did not allow me to see him. The baby was crying loudly and painfully. I also saw bloodstains on his clothes that were left on the bathroom’s floor. I once felt too scared when I saw her pressing on his belly strongly … I just rushed out of the room quickly,” the maid testified to prosecutors.

The suspect’s brother claimed to prosecutors that the newborn would never cry whenever the mother’s husband was present at home.

Other witnesses confirmed that they often saw injuries and bruises on the boy’s body.

A number of doctors claimed to prosecutors that the 14-month-old boy was admitted to hospital several times with different bruises, injuries and fractures.

Dubai Police’s forensic report confirmed that the boy succumbed to severe internal bleeding in the abdomen that was caused by strong pressing.