The body of Ahmad was found in an abandoned building in the Al-Mashi neighborhood. Forensic experts found evidence of physical abuse on his head and lower jaw.

The murder happened before the father reported his son missing. The stepmother is believed to have taken the young boy inside the bathroom and slammed his head repeatedly on the floor.

She then allegedly wrapped his body in a sheet and took him outside the house. At the same time, her maid saw the woman carrying something wrapped in a sheet with bloodstains on it.

She saw the woman dump the wrapped object on the second floor of the abandoned building. The following day, the father reported the boy missing. Initially, it was believed that Ahmad had been kidnapped and the father made a public plea for the return of his son.

Police immediately formed a taskforce to search for the missing boy. Police detained the maid for questioning. Officers added that the maid gave police their first lead when she provided an account of what she saw the day the boy went missing.

She led police to the abandoned building where the body was found.

Official spokesman of Taif police Lt. Saleem Al-Rabee said police carried out a massive search for the missing boy over the last nine days until the mystery of his disappearance was revealed on Wednesday.

The stepmother’s case will be transferred to the Prosecution and Investigation Board.

The uncle of the child said he was shocked when he heard the news. He thought that Ahmad had simply gone missing and never thought that he would be found dead.

“I was optimistic that the kidnapper would return him. I suspected that either the stepmother or the maid had something to do with his disappearance but we had no proof.”

He said the family members are in a terrible state and they are not sleeping. The mother of the victim has declined to speak to the press.

The stepmother was transferred to a psychiatric hospital for examination as it is believed she might be mentally unstable. She has a three-year-old daughter.