JEDDAH, 16 April 2006 — With her daughter’s body still unburied and the investigation into her death continuing, the mother of the Makkah girl who was fatally stabbed a few days ago, has sent a letter to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed asking their intervention in the case. She sought the severest punishment for those who are responsible for her daughter’s death.
The gruesome murder of the nine-year-old Ghosun shocked the citizens of Makkah, especially when they learned that she had suffered physical abuse by her father and stepmother for an entire year. All that time, the child’s mother was complaining to the authorities who failed to act.
Ghosun’s grandmother said to Arab News, “She has not been buried and will not be until the investigation is over. Even her mother has not been allowed to see the body.”
The mother has been in a state of shock but managed to express her anger and pain in letters to Prince Abdul Majeed and King Abdullah, asking for the execution of the man and his wife. “I will not give up my right to seek justice for my daughter,” she said.
Ghosun’s father divorced her mother when she was seven months pregnant with the child. He beat his wife constantly and her parents were finally got a divorce by returning the dowry plus some extra money.
After the divorce, Ghosun lived with her mother’s parents.
Ghosun’s father never paid any of his daughter’s expenses but demanded to see her on weekends. When the child reached school age, he delayed providing the necessary papers for almost a year.
As soon as Ghosun was seven, he began demanding custody of the child in accordance with Islamic law. Six months later, a court awarded him custody over the mother’s strong objections.
Once in her father’s house Ghosun’s life became a living hell of physical abuse. She was starved, beaten mercilessly, burned, chained to her bed and prevented from going to school. Her father would not permit Ghosun’s mother to see her and the one time he did, she too was beaten by him and his wife.
The day of the murder, according to the police report, the child had broken ribs, front teeth knocked out, bruises, knife wounds and had choked on blood. Apparently bleach was also poured over her. “We just don’t understand why and how he could do such things to his own daughter even if he wanted revenge on her mother for leaving him and remarrying,” said the grandmother.
In statements to police both Ghosun’s father and stepmother admitted to torturing the girl. Before the case can go to court, the police must determine who was responsible for the girl’s death.
The mother and her family blame the police, the social service department and the National Society for Human Rights for not acting quickly during the past year despite efforts to get them involved.
None of the officials were able to remove the child from her father’s custody because he denied them access to her. He even reported his own brother, who took the child into his home, for allegedly kidnapping her.
