UAE | Crime
Mother accused of beating and strangling newborn
A woman is facing charges of strangling her illegitimate newborn girl after giving birth to her in a hospital bathroom.
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:45 February 14, 2008
Dubai: A woman is facing charges of strangling her illegitimate newborn girl after giving birth to her in a hospital bathroom.
The 33-year-old Indonesian housemaid, M.B., has been charged with premeditatedly murdering her newborn by the Public Prosecution, which referred her to the Dubai Court of First Instance to be tried next week.
She was charged with strangling her newborn and repeatedly banging her head on the floor of the bathroom where she gave birth.
The newborn's body was found wrapped in a blue blanket which was stained with blood and left on a bed.
A forensic doctor who examined the newborn's body confirmed that she died of severe skull fractures, which led to bleeding in the brain, and that strangulation speeded up death.
An Indian nurse testified: "The suspect used to escort one of our female patients who was hospitalised on the seventh floor. At around 4am on the day of the incident, I recognised that the suspect was tired when she came to visit the patient. I moved her to the emergency ward when I spotted blood on the floor. Later I saw blood on the bathroom floor."
Another nurse testified: "I saw a blue blanket left on the sofa bed. The blood-soaked blanket turned out to be heavy when I tried to pick it up and give it to the cleaner. I was shocked to see the newborn wrapped in the blanket."
A doctor, who examined the baby when she was found in the room, testified: "Her heartbeat had stopped when I examined the newborn and her body was blue and cold. We couldn't save her. Her skull seemed to be fractured and there were scratches around her neck."
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