Drug addict Saad Al-Harithy murdered four-year-old Saad Saleem in the village of Ararah, located in the Balqaran district, north of Asir, on April 10.
According to hospital sources, Al-Harithy was mentally ill and had been receiving medical treatment at Shihar Hospital for some time.
Maj. Gen. Obaid Al-Khomash, director of police in Asir province, said Al-Harithy hanged himself in a toilet and was taken to hospital where he died.
He added that the authorities are investigating how he was able to take his life.
According to people in Ararah, Al-Harithy, father of two sons and six daughters, was a known drug addict. His two divorced sisters also live with him. The villagers added that they have been supporting his family for some time due to his illness and drug addiction.
Al-Harithy murdered Saad after his father, Ayed bin Fahad Saleem, a shepherd, invited him home for breakfast. After arriving at the home, Ayed received a phone call and went outside to pick up a better phone signal. While he was outsid he saw Al-Harithy rush out. Ayed then went inside and saw his son lying in a pool of blood -- he had been stabbed.
Saad was taken to Balqaran Hospital, 35 km away, where he died due to loss of blood. Villagers said Ayed had to drive along a rough desert track for 10 kilometers before he could reach the highway to Balqaran.
Villagers say Saad would have survived if there was a Primary Health Center in the village. Muhammad Al-Qarni said 1,500 people live in the Ararah which is virtually cut off from the rest of the country.
“There are neither asphalted roads or hospitals here. We’ve been asking for simple things like proper roads, a primary health center and a police station for some time now. We’ve not received anything,” he said.
“The village has become a haven for drug dealers. Drug addicts commit most of the crimes around here. We’ve asked the authorities to clamp down on drug-related crime in the area, but nothing has happened so far,” he said.
