Woman accused of beating stepdaughter, 5, to death in Dubai

Dubai: A woman has been accused of beating her five-year-old stepdaughter to death and prosecutors are seeking the toughest punishment against her for committing what they described as a “merciless and inhumane crime”.

The 24-year-old Arab stepmother will be tried before the Dubai Court of First Instance where she will face charges of beating her stepdaughter to death, said Dubai’s Attorney-General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan on Sunday.

Despite the defendant’s claim that the girl fell off her bicycle and died, prosecutors are seeking the implementation of the sternest punishment applicable as per the Penal Code, stressed Al Humaidan.

“The woman denied the charge of beating the girl to death and claimed during questioning that the victim fell off her bicycle and injured herself and then died,” Senior Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Ali Rustom, Head of Family and Juveniles Prosecution, told Gulf News on Sunday.

Dubai’s Attorney-General said: “The defendant was stripped off all humanity and mercy when she committed the purported crime... she did what she did despite being entrusted to care for the well-being of the girl considering that she was her stepmother and lived with her in the same house.

"During prosecution questioning, two housemaids, who worked in the house, and the victim’s 10-year-old sister testified that the defendant constantly treated them badly. The sister claimed to the investigating prosecutor that her stepmother constantly beat them, particularly the deceased. Meanwhile, the victim’s mother testified during questioning that her children informed her that their stepmother always beat and tortured them and kept them without food.”

Records said the incident happened during the end of January this year when the Arab woman rushed the unconscious girl from their residence in Hor Al Anz to a hospital. She was given quick medical attention but she did not survive despite all efforts to resuscitate her.

However, the doctors informed the police that the girl’s body bore bruises and injuries.

“Initially the suspect alleged that her stepdaughter fell off the bicycle while playing outside the house and injured herself before she lost consciousness. However, Dubai Police’s forensic examiner and the autopsy countered the woman’s allegations and confirmed that the deceased had been beaten brutally as injury marks proved that. Witnesses also confirmed that the suspect ill-treated her stepchildren. The autopsy had to be carried out especially after doctors suspected foul play and informed the police. Forensic examiners further confirmed that the bicycle accident couldn’t have inflicted such injuries that led to the girl’s death. They confirmed that the girl died of injuries to her torso and head and which were caused by brutal and different forms of beating,” said Al Humaidan.

A hearing will be scheduled soon for the suspect to stand trial.