The body of a boy allegedly electrocuted at his school last week has not been released to his family yet because of contradictory reports over the way he died.
Sixteen-year-old Ayed Al-Motawie died last Thursday because of alleged poor electrical wiring at his school in Al-Howayah.
Ayed’s brother, Abdul Rahman, told local media here that the forensic report issued by the Investigation and Public Prosecution Bureau found no conclusive evidence the death was caused by electrocution.
However, Abdul Rahman claims that the coroner told the family that his brother had died from an electric current entering his body at the thumb, traveling to the heart and exiting on the left side of the body.
Abdul Rahman said he believes that his brother’s body had not been released yet because of the two differing reports.
Abdul Rahman also rejects claims that his brother did not go to school on Thursday. He said some fellow students had seen him there until the third period, when he then tried to leave the school premises.
“He threw his shoes over the wall before trying to run away from school and his head-cover (shumagh) was also found outside the walls. How could his belongings be outside the wall if he didn’t show up for school?”
Abdul Rahman claimed that the authorities had issued an order in 2011 for the demolition of the Al-Tafeel Intermediate School, but this was never carried out. He claimed the school was unsuitable for teaching.
Another school in Al-Howayah, Al-Wasit for Girls, where his daughter studies, allegedly has similar electrical problems. Both schools have electric wires installed through the entrance gates, he claimed.
Taif police spokesman First Lt. Salim Al-Rabeie, said Al-Howayah police received a call at 9 a.m. Thursday saying a 16-year-old Saudi pupil had died at school. The cause of death was allegedly electrocution because of poor electrical wiring. The body was taken to King Faisal Hospital’s morgue in Taif, and the file referred to the Investigation and Public Prosecution Bureau.
Director of the Civil Defense in Taif Col. Fayez Al-Otaibi said earlier that 85 to 90 percent of schools in the region conformed to safety regulations. Most of the remaining 10 to 15 percent of schools rented buildings that do not comply with required standards.
Body of ‘electrocuted’ boy not released yet
