Dubai: The family of a nine-year-old autistic boy who died on April 21 is yet to find a sense of closure, as authorities are yet to establish the cause of death.
Awad Firoz Khan, his parents and his 15-year-old brother were rushed to the Al Baraha hospital on April 21 after bouts of vomiting and dizziness the night before. He died the same day but the rest of his family was declared out of danger after few hours.
"Awad was buried on May 2, but we still don't know what the cause of his death was. We are still seeking answers," Awad's father Firoz Khan, 46, told Gulf News yesterday.
The father said that the family had all eaten at a popular fast-food chain the day before the incident but said he did not suspect food poisoning since his nephew who was with them did not fall ill. He believes that pesticides sprayed by his neighbours in their apartment could be the cause.
Dubai Municipality ruled out food poisoning as the cause of death after an investigation by the Food Control Department. However, Dubai Police said that food poisoning could only be ruled out after the release of autopsy results.
Based on forensic examination, Dubai Police said that pesticide poisoning was definitely not the cause of death. The Criminal Investigation Department said the autopsy results showed that the child's chemical toxicity report was negative. The bacterial toxicity report, which proves whether or not the death was caused by food poisoning, however, is yet to be published.
