Abu Dhabi Police have referred the parents of a child who died after falling out of an apartment window to the general prosecution on charges of endangering the lives of others, according to Brigadier Maktoum Al Shareefi, director of the Capital Police Directorate
“Leaving children at homes alone and unattended is very risky and endangers their lives” he said stressing that it was the parents’ responsibility to take good care of their children, said Al Shareefi.
“We cannot put a Policeman at every building in the city to monitor all the windows so as to ensure the children’s safety. The parents’ top priority should be providing high level of safety to their children,” added “he added.”These tragedies continue to happen despite the numerous warning campaigns embarked on by the police and the media fostering awareness of these dangers and asking parents to pay attention to the safety of their children."
He noted that the Police have on many occasions warned parents and educated them on the dangers of keeping balconies and windows open and leaving children at homes unattended but some parents have ignored the warnings. The children require more attention and parents neglecting their duties or failing to provide good care to their children will not be tolerated, he said.
Parents should take all necessary precautions and should never allow children to reach windows or balconies unsupervised,” he noted.
The three-year-old Arab girl, who fell to her death on Tuesday night, narrowly escaped death a month ago after a policeman noticed her seated precariously on a window ledge. He rushed to the apartment and broke down the door after no one answered, managing to save the little girl's life. Both her parents were at work.
Lt. Col. Mubarak bin Meheroum, director of the Community Policing Department at Abu Dhabi Police said the Police have in the recent months strengthened campaigns to raise safety awareness among parents to remind them about the dangers of windows and balconies to children especially when left alone at home to avoid children from falling off buildings and ensure their safety.
The Ministry of Interior has previously recommended installing metal bars or locks on windows in high-rise apartments.
Lt. Col. Dr. Salah Al-Ghoul, Director of Law Respect Culture Bureau, at the secretariat general of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior’s Office, said that the general legal principles impose on the parents to care for their children, and make the necessary effort to protect them from the dangers that do not become aware of by virtue of their age.
He pointed out that Article 394 of the Federal Penal Code stipulates a jail term of between one month and two years for every time a person endangers the life of a child below the age of 15 or a person incapable of caring for themselves.
The penalty could increase to a three-year term if the person at risk was left unattended. If that person was left in the care of a guardian, then the guardian is equally guilty of the crime.
