Emirati teenager dies of heroin overdose

Sharjah: Sharjah police have arrested an Emirati in connection with the death of a teenager whose body was found dumped behind Al Qasimi hospital in Sharjah early this week.

The 16-year-old Emirati victim, identified as O, died due to an overdose of heroin, a Sharjah police official told Gulf News on Tuesday.

Police said the body of the teenager who died on Sunday night was dumped behind the hospital by another Emirati man.

Interrogation

Police said M.M, a 30-year-old Emirati, was arrested by police on Monday for consuming drugs and for dumping the body of the young man.

Police said M.M. told police officials during interrogation that he and O. were taking drugs in the house of M.M. in the Al Azra area in Sharjah when the young man lost consciousness due to an overdose of heroin.

M.M., who is currently being detained at Al Hira police station, told police that he put O. in his car and dumped his body behind Al Qasimi hospital late on Sunday night. M.M. told police that O. died on the spot.

M.M. denied that he gave O. an overdose but said O. took it by himself.

Police said the case has been referred to public prosecutor for further investigation.

Police said M.M. is facing charges of hiding the body of dead man, covering up a police case and for using drugs.

According to police, M.M. and O. are just friends and both were using drugs in M.M.'s house.

M.M. said that he used to hang around with the 16-year-old O. and that they used to take drugs together regularly.

According to police, this is not the first time a group of Emiartis using drugs has dumped the body of one of the people in the group, near Al Qasimi hospital's back gate close to the emergency door, before running away.

Police warned parents to take care of their children.

"It is unacceptable that male teenagers who are 16 or 17 years old to have friends who are double their age. This is dangerous and will definitely put the child in trouble," police warned.

Parental responsibility

"It is the responsibility of the parents and the guardians of the children to know with whom their kids are moving about," police said.

The police official also warned that the issue of drugs is on the rise and parents should take note of that.