JEDDAH, 11 February 2004 — Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin yesterday visited the families of Haya Al-Nakhli and Tahani Abu-Halawi, the two high school girls killed by a reckless driver outside their high school in Madinah on Sunday.
Five other girls were injured, some seriously, in the incident which occurred when a 17-year-old lost control of his car, which according to witnesses, was being driven in a “crazy and reckless manner.”
Prince Muqrin paid his condolences and listened as tearful parents told of their loss. Tahani Abu-Halawi’s father spoke of how he had learned of the accident.
“I became worried when my daughter did not come home on time. I went to the school and found that there had been an accident. Among the piles of scattered, bloodied belongings were my daughter’s things. When I asked the officials, they told me that my daughter was among the dead,” he said. “This is the biggest shock of my life. The loss of my daughter is devastating. I feel that the world has closed in upon me. She was such an obedient, loving girl that entered her grave before marriage.”
Haya Al-Nakhli’s father told the governor that he was at home when he received the news. “The news hit me like a bolt of lightning. Initially, I was told that my daughter had been involved in an accident. It wasn’t until I arrived at the hospital that they told me she had passed away.”
Prince Muqrin said the young man would be dealt with severely. “Such irresponsible behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Schools are for education, not a place for the reckless driving of untamed youth.”
The governor said parents should educate their young to understand the consequences of their actions on themselves and other members of the public.
Gen. Yousef Al-Binyan, director general of the Madinah police, increased police patrols at girls’ schools. “The immature and reckless behavior of some young men lead to situations like this. Often, the young are ignorant of the consequences of some of the things they do. If no one is there to guide them properly or punish them when they need to be, they won’t know what is right or wrong.”
Col. Siraj Kamal of the traffic police confirmed that the young man responsible was being held at a juvenile facility. He added that he did not possess the wherewithal to provide police protection for all the boys’ and girls’ schools in his district. “A certain responsibility has to fall on the motoring public to abide by the laws and regulations established to prevent incidents such as this,” he told reporters.
Al-Madinah newspaper received a letter from the culprit’s father stating that his son must take responsibility and be punished for his actions.
Arab News asked people what the appropriate punishment for the young man should be. One of them felt that the death penalty was appropriate. Others argued that the boy’s actions, though irresponsible, did not merit such draconian consequences as the boy’s intention had not been to injure anyone. Several, thought that he should be imprisoned as a lesson to others.
One man, Ryan, a 55 year-old British jeweler, told Arab News: “He should be given a jail sentence and a stiff fine. He undoubtedly feels remorse for taking the lives of two girls and injuring five others. But I don’t think he ever imagined he could be responsible for such death and destruction.”
According to doctors at King Fahd Hospital in Madinah, the severity of the injured ranged from medium to serious, with one girl having to have a leg amputated.
