Absconding Dubai maid confines babysitter, newborn in bedroom

Dubai: A maid has been accused of locking up a babysitter and her sponsor’s newborn baby inside a bedroom and then absconding from her sponsor’s residence after she stole Dh3,200.

The 25-year-old Bangladeshi maid admitted before the Dubai Court of First Instance that she locked the Filipina babysitter inside the bedroom because she beat her up.

“She assaulted me on that day… so I locked her inside the bedroom along with the newborn baby. But I did not steal anything. I am not a thief,” claimed the suspect, R.A., when she defended herself before presiding judge Wajdi Al Menyawi.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors charged R.A. with illegally confining the Filipina and the Emirati newborn baby inside the bedroom. She was also accused of stealing money from the babysitter’s purse.

The suspect asked to be deported when she entered her plea in courtroom three last Monday.

The Filipina testified that she was cleaning the bedroom when R.A. locked her up and absconded on September 18, 2012. “I called her from the window but she looked at me and waved and said goodbye. She walked out of the villa and ran away. I called the neighbours to help me… they contacted my sponsor. My boss came and freed us from the room… the defendant locked the door from outside. She stole my money,” the babysitter told prosecutors.

Records said the Emirati sponsor reported the matter to the police.

R.A. admitted during prosecution questioning that she locked the babysitter to be able to abscond.

A judgement will be heard on April 25.