Bahrain: Child favours life with granny over parents

Cairo: A Bahraini court has approved a child’s decision to live with her grandmother in a custody case after the 12-year-old girl suffered after her parents were separated and remarried, a local newspaper has said.

The Minor Sharia Court was told that the child suffered after her mother married another man, who physically attacked her. The girl suffered from psychological problems as a result, Akhbar Al Khaleej said, citing a lawyer.

“The child used to live with her mother after her divorce until she remarried and became no longer fit for taking custody of her, especially as the mother and her second husband ill-treated the child,” lawyer Ahmed Al Hadad said.

“A report was filed to the Family Prosecution that the child had been subjected to beating and humiliation,” the lawyer for the grandmother he added.

When asked if she wants to live with her grandmother or her mother, the girl opted for the granny and refused to return to her mother.

“The grandmother does not suffer from serious or infectious diseases. She goes round her daily life normally,” the lawyer said.

Despite being psychologically ill, the child has the right to choose “especially as the grandmother is able to take care of her and the child’s psychological illness is not serious or affects her life,” the court said in explaining the ruling.