Court orders woman to pay blood money for causing death of her seven children

Ameer Al Sunni, Staff Reporter

The Fujairah Court of Appeal ruled that a Gulf woman be sentenced to six months in jail and pay the legal blood money for accidentally causing the death of her seven children in a fire that erupted in their house around two years ago.

In its decision issued on Tuesday, the court obligated the defendant to pay a total of Dhs1.4 million at Dhs200,000 for each child in blood money.

The court panel held a number of sessions during which it heard the Public Prosecution, which demanded the severest punishment to be imposed on the defendant.

The tragic accident took place as a result of the mother’s negligence and breach of maternal duties, the public prosecution said.

The seven children, four daughters including twins and three sons, between 5 and 15 years of age, were suffocated after inhaling smoke from the fire that broke out in their house.

According to the forensic medicine report, the children died after they had inhaled a gas that poisoned their system, rendering them incapable of saving themselves from the fire.