Dubai: A couple have been accused of having sex outside of marriage and endangering the life of their eight-year-old illegitimate daughter by failing to provide her with any vaccinations or medical care.
The 42-year-old Emirati father was said to have met his 29-year-old Russian mistress in a nightclub in 2002. She moved into his house in 2003 and gave birth to a baby girl in 2004.
Records said the child has never been taken to hospital or enrolled in any public or private school since her birth.
Prosecutors accused the couple of having sex outside of marriage that resulted in an illegitimate child. They were also charged with endangering their daughter’s life by failing to take her to any public hospital or providing her with any required vaccinations whenever she fell ill.
The suspects entered a guilty plea and admitted that they had consensual sex when they appeared before the Dubai Misdemeanour Court (Family).
However, they denied the charge of endangering their daughter’s life contending they consistently treated her well and cared for her. They pledged to get married and provide the court with a marriage certificate.
The couple, who remained in custody until Tuesday’s hearing, will reappear in court on May 21.
The Russian woman was also charged with staying in the country illegally and failing to pay her mounting residency violation fines.
Records said an informant told the police that an eight-year-old girl was believed to be living with an Emirati man and a Russian woman in suspicious circumstances.
Police obtained prosecutors’ permission and raided the residence in the Al Safa area. The Russian told police interrogators that her daughter was at her aunt’s house.
Upon questioning, the mother claimed that she came to work in a furniture place in Dubai in 2001.
“I met the Emirati in a nightclub and we fell in love. I started living at his place with his mother and younger brother since 2002. He helped me deliver the baby without going to hospital. I used scissors and a big bowl when I gave birth in a bedroom. His family believe that we are married. Despite the fact that we never got married, but they believe that I delivered in a hospital. I was afraid to go to a hospital because I did not have my identification papers.
“We have been raising her properly and providing her with good care. Since I delivered her, we have never taken her to a public hospital but we took her to a private hospital whenever she fell ill. Her father and I take good care of her… and she is in good health. My passport remained with my former employer since 2001,” said the mother.
Meanwhile the Emirati claimed that he could not marry the Russian because she did not have a passport.
“I lied to my family that we got married and they believed me. My partner didn’t deliver in hospital because she didn’t have papers and conceived out of wedlock,” he said.
