Dubai: A mother faces 10 years in jail for intentionally killing her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and trying to murder her 22-month-old daughter with a 40-cm knife with which she also attempted suicide.
The Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday pronounced the 24-year-old Indian mother, H.A., guilty of the premeditated murder of her daughter, Nashua K., and the attempted murder of her second daughter, Najiya K., and trying to kill herself with the same murder weapon.
Paramedics' swift intervention helped save the life of the 22-month-old girl after she was rushed to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery.
The psychological experts committee which examined H.A. concluded that she doesn't suffer any mental or psychological disorder and that she is responsible for her actions, according to the Public Prosecution's records.
The committee further reported: "Facing some psychological pressures, might have influenced her capability to judge the consequences of her actions. She didn't intend to hurt her daughters when she stabbed them, but she did that out of love and out of pity and concern about their future if she committed suicide."
When the accused earlier appeared in court, she pleaded guilty but maintained that she didn't intend to kill her elder daughter or harm the surviving one.
Meanwhile, the court-assigned advocate, who defended her, argued: "My client has been a victim of social and psychological pressures. She didn't have any criminal intention but she did what she did thinking that she would protect her daughters. We ask the court to consider her situation and grant her a lenient judgment."
The Public Prosecution had charged H.A., with premeditatedly killing Nashua after she threw her over the bed and repeatedly stabbing her in the back.
She was also accused of trying to kill Najiya. Doctors managed to save the 22-month-old daughter who sustained 35 per cent permanent disability.
The defendant was additionally charged with attempted suicide.
Her 34-year-old Indian husband, a computer programmer, testified that since he married H.A. in 2001, she didn't suffer from any mental illness. He never took her to a psychologist and her parents never informed him that she suffered from any psychological disorder.
"I was heading home from work when H.A.'s father phoned me from India telling me that my wife called him and sounded disturbed. I sent one of our relatives to the house to check on my wife. He found one daughter in a pool of blood, while the woman and her [other] child were found in a critical condition as a result of multiple stabs. When I reached my house, police had cordoned the place and didn't let me in," said the husband.
The family's 29-year-old Indian neighbour, I.A., testified: "H.A. stood at my doorstep& she shouted hysterically and had blood all over her hands and clothes. She asked me for help. When I headed to her room, I saw her daughters lying on the bed covered in blood. They were motionless and silent. H.A. was crying and I saw the knife on the bed beside the girls' bodies. Then I informed the police."
The primary judgment is still subject to appeal within 15 days.
Convicted Mother and child cases
2008
- A 33-year-old Indonesian mother was jailed for three years followed by deportation for strangling her newborn to death after she delivered in a hospital bathroom.
- A 28-year-old Ethiopian housemaid was jailed for three years followed by deportation for the murder of her newborn whom she repeatedly beat to death before dumping his body in a garbage bag.
2007
- A 32-year-old Filipina maid was jailed for three years followed by deportation for premeditatedly beating her 45-day-old newborn to death.
The Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday pronounced the 24-year-old Indian mother, H.A., guilty of the premeditated murder of her daughter, Nashua K., and the attempted murder of her second daughter, Najiya K., and trying to kill herself with the same murder weapon.
Paramedics' swift intervention helped save the life of the 22-month-old girl after she was rushed to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery.
The psychological experts committee which examined H.A. concluded that she doesn't suffer any mental or psychological disorder and that she is responsible for her actions, according to the Public Prosecution's records.
The committee further reported: "Facing some psychological pressures, might have influenced her capability to judge the consequences of her actions. She didn't intend to hurt her daughters when she stabbed them, but she did that out of love and out of pity and concern about their future if she committed suicide."
When the accused earlier appeared in court, she pleaded guilty but maintained that she didn't intend to kill her elder daughter or harm the surviving one.
Meanwhile, the court-assigned advocate, who defended her, argued: "My client has been a victim of social and psychological pressures. She didn't have any criminal intention but she did what she did thinking that she would protect her daughters. We ask the court to consider her situation and grant her a lenient judgment."
The Public Prosecution had charged H.A., with premeditatedly killing Nashua after she threw her over the bed and repeatedly stabbing her in the back.
She was also accused of trying to kill Najiya. Doctors managed to save the 22-month-old daughter who sustained 35 per cent permanent disability.
The defendant was additionally charged with attempted suicide.
Her 34-year-old Indian husband, a computer programmer, testified that since he married H.A. in 2001, she didn't suffer from any mental illness. He never took her to a psychologist and her parents never informed him that she suffered from any psychological disorder.
"I was heading home from work when H.A.'s father phoned me from India telling me that my wife called him and sounded disturbed. I sent one of our relatives to the house to check on my wife. He found one daughter in a pool of blood, while the woman and her [other] child were found in a critical condition as a result of multiple stabs. When I reached my house, police had cordoned the place and didn't let me in," said the husband.
The family's 29-year-old Indian neighbour, I.A., testified: "H.A. stood at my doorstep& she shouted hysterically and had blood all over her hands and clothes. She asked me for help. When I headed to her room, I saw her daughters lying on the bed covered in blood. They were motionless and silent. H.A. was crying and I saw the knife on the bed beside the girls' bodies. Then I informed the police."
The primary judgment is still subject to appeal within 15 days.
Convicted Mother and child cases
2008
- A 33-year-old Indonesian mother was jailed for three years followed by deportation for strangling her newborn to death after she delivered in a hospital bathroom.
- A 28-year-old Ethiopian housemaid was jailed for three years followed by deportation for the murder of her newborn whom she repeatedly beat to death before dumping his body in a garbage bag.
2007
- A 32-year-old Filipina maid was jailed for three years followed by deportation for premeditatedly beating her 45-day-old newborn to death.
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