Camera showed maid eating baby’s food

Mother made a surprise discovery when she reviewed CCTV footage.

Growing distrust of childcare providers is causing many families to install CCTV cameras in their homes, but maids say they do not like to be under constant supervision. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Umm Fahad, who has three children, said she installed CCTV cameras after giving birth to her third year last year.

She said she got the cameras to be safe “in case something happens”, but did not watch the videos regularly.

What she did not expect to see, however, was her maid eating the baby’s food.

“The first time I saw it, I laughed. I couldn’t help but think ‘Why? Why would she choose to eat pureed veggies and sticky rice?’. Then it was constantly occurring and I just didn’t understand it,” she said.

“It was also ruining my daughter’s eating portions and I was always worried she might be hungry still.”

Umm Fahad confronted the helper after the incident became a daily ritual.

“I thought she might be hungry, or maybe craving children’s foods,” she said. “When I asked her, she said she was bored and my baby wasn’t eating it anyway.

“I didn’t want it to be a problem or to have to fire her. I spoke to her and explained I didn’t like it. I also got her extra snacks just in case she wanted more food.”