Adopted to be killed; Orphan succumbs after torture by foster parent

Adopted to be killed

Orphan succumbs after torture by foster parent

Suad Al-Shamrani

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — No one had expected the life of a young orphan to end so tragically when a 33-year-old Saudi decided to adopt him. The man had promised to bring up the boy, who was barely five years old, with utmost care. Instead, he killed him.

The man, who did not have any offspring due to infertility, agreed to take care of the boy as his own son when he volunteered to foster him.

However, the boy was cruelly tortured at his adopted home, eventually leading to his death. He was severely beaten and burned by his foster father because he was suffering from incontinence.

The boy was admitted to Iman Hospital in Riyadh on June 10 for treatment of bruises he sustained during the torture, but he in fact was struggling against death. Doctors could not save him.

Col. Nasser Saeed Al-Qahtani, spokesman for Riyadh police, confirmed to Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the boy died due to severe beating on different parts of his body and head. There were burns on his genital.

After the torture, the man took the boy to hospital for treatment. He admitted to torturing the boy in order to discipline him. He justified his action saying he wanted to raise the boy properly and give him a good education.

Col. Al-Qahtani said the alleged killer is married without any offspring.