• Home
• /
• UAE
• /
• Crime

Obaida died 'like a man', says grieving mother

Dubai - Dubai Police paid a visit to the grieving family; offered legal and psychological assistance.

The mother of the eight-year-old Jordanian boy, Obaida, who was raped and strangled and found dumped in Dubai says she is proud of her son for resisting his assailant until the very end.
"He died as a man and resisted to the end to keep his dignity in honour," she told Khaleej Times. "He didn't accept that his clothes be removed and he resisted, and behaved like a man despite being so young."
"If he saw small girls not dressed properly, he used to tell me. Even in the lift, he used to stay away if there were other men around," she added. "He was never scared and used to sleep in the hall by himself, not like other kids. He'd go with his uncles and behave like a man."
The mother added that the child was raised to know right and wrong.
"That's why he refused to obey this beast," she said.
On Tuesday, the mother was not eating properly, and said that when she closes her eyes she can see her son. Later in the day, she complained of shoulder and chest pains. The family called an ambulance to get a medical check-up done.

Left: Nedelessa, 48-year-old Jordanian; Right: Eight-year-old Jordanian boy, Obaida
 
"I need my wife to stay well to take care of her small kids," her husband said. "We will never forgive this criminal who has destroyed our lives and made the whole family sick. Our heart is burning and we need this monster to be punished."
According to the mother, the happy-go-lucky child preferred to eat pastries and macaronies, and always liked to eat the food she cooked at home. He also liked playing and going to the mall and to go to the sea.
The mother, tearfully showed a painting drawn by classmates, addressed to the child's best friend, Hamdan, with the caption "Hamdan, why did you not take your gun and defend your friend."
Additionally, Obaida said her son was clever, cheerful, neat and good at school, adding that his classmates are all in shock about the incident.
"His exam materials are near his bed from when he began to study," she said. "I cannot even look at his school uniform. I'm still waiting to see my son become a doctor, which was his dream."
"I'm very happy my son was loved by all. Hundreds of people, government representatives, police officials and community members came to the mosque and attended his funeral," she added. "He was a son of all. We even received many calls from people outside the UAE offering their support. Many people also brought juices and coffee.... I hope the death of my son will allow people to be careful and do something to defend other children. I hope he will be a reason to save other children. The UAE is a safe country and police officials are doing their job so we feel secure, but we have to be aware that sick criminals exist."
The mother noted that she wants the suspect to "be torn into parts and suffer the heat that we felt. I want him to die slowly."
Also read: Family of murdered boy calls for death penalty

(Photo: Obaida's residence at Al Nahda street, Sharjah. He was abducted from here)
Last days
The woman said that on Thursday the son was happily playing with a neighbour, and on Friday morning he went to visit his uncles and briefly spent time with his father. She noted that the suspect was targeting her son on the day of the crime. He brought fruits and coaxed him into a car, and even took photographs of him.
"I wondered what he was doing. His father had to go twice to bring him out of the car," she said. She claims that the murderer told the child to wait by a back-door from where he'd take him to buy a scooter.
The child's father added that the family and the larger tribe in Jordan "will not accept a single penny" as blood money.
"Even if they give us millions, nothing will compensate us or bring back our son," he said.
Additionally, the murderer's tribe in Jordan has abandoned him and banished him in the wake of the crime.
Dubai Police visit family


amira@khaleejtimes.com