Khaleej Times

ABU DHABI, Mar 26 — A Sri Lankan housemaid has been remanded to police custody for allegedly torturing a four-year-old boy in a bid to make him stop crying.

Investigations of the Abu Dhabi Public prosecution in the incident, which was reported by the parents of the child, revealed that the domestic servant, who was not identified, used to keep the boy inside the fridge to prevent him from crying. She was also said to have been beating up the boy before locking him up in the fridge. The suspect had been abusing the child in the absence of his parents, who were busy working the entire day, police said.

The woman confessed to the charge of child abuse saying that she used to put red hot pepper in the boy's mouth to stop him from crying. The parents came home after the busy working day last November to find their beloved one with a cut on his head. They informed Al Rahba Police in Abu Dhabi about the incident, accusing their housemaid of abusing their child.

On interrogation, the housemaid confessed and in detail to the charge. She told the police that she had used many ways of torturing the boy to force him keep quiet. The public prosecution ordered the alleged housemaid to remain in custody before standing trial.

Police warn against leaving vehicle with engine running

DUBAI, Mar 26 — The Dubai Police have blamed drivers who leave their cars open and running for some car theft cases and assured that in accordance with the Federal Traffic Law, this is considered a violation.

Last year, 17 thefts were reported because motorists left their cars in running condition, said Brigadier Abdul Jalil Mahdi, Deputy Director of the General Department of Preventive Security, blaming drivers for encouraging teenagers to commit these thefts. Also, in most cases, these offences are accompanied with other offences such as stopping behind cars, hindering traffic movement, or stopping on pavements, he noted.

He said that teenagers who are eager to drive a car commit these thefts without thinking of the results of their crime. Drivers are asked to be cautious by not leaving their cars open and in a running condition if they get off their cars for a short while, such as buying a medicine from a pharmacy or buying specific items from a supermarket. Also, he called on parents not to leave their children in their cars. In a certain incident, a child left in a closed car died because of suffocation. What would be the result if a child plays with the transmission hand and the car moves.

Lieutenant Colonel Dr Abdullah Hassan bin Drai, Director of Al Muraqqabat police station, said that seven thefts of cars left with running engines were reported during the past three months. There is a large number of thefts of this type, he noted, warning drivers not to leave their cars open and with the ignition on. He also warned drivers not to leave valuable properties inside their cars to avoid tempting people with weak personalities to break into their cars and steal them. He said that public awareness and cautiousness will help reduce and curb such thefts.