Kuwait sentences maid to death for killing infant in washing machine
The maid confessed to the killing, telling investigators the child had been 'annoying' her
Dubai: Kuwait’s criminal court on Wednesday sentenced a Filipino domestic worker to death for the murder of an 18-month-old Kuwaiti boy, whom she placed inside a washing machine at her employer’s home in Sabah Al Salem late last December.
According to a report by Al Qabas Arabic daily, the maid confessed to the killing, telling investigators the child had been “annoying” her. The baby’s parents rushed to the scene after hearing his screams and discovered him inside the washing machine in critical condition. He was taken to Jaber Al Ahmad Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival from severe injuries.
Ahead of the verdict, the court ordered the defendant to undergo a psychological evaluation, which found her mentally fit to stand trial.
The case drew widespread attention both in Kuwait and the Philippines. The Philippines Department of Migrant Workers expressed condolences to the child’s family and the Kuwaiti government, stressing that the incident was “isolated” and did not reflect the values of overseas Filipino workers, more than 220,000 of whom live and work in Kuwait, many as domestic helpers.
The ruling will be automatically reviewed by the appeals court and then by the Court of Cassation, the country’s highest tribunal, whose decisions are final.
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