Daughter arrested after mother told police of drug fears

A mother who grew suspicious about her daughter's incoherent speech reported her to police, who charged her with taking morphine, a court was told.

DUBAI // A mother who grew suspicious about her daughter's incoherent speech reported her to police, a court heard yesterday. NA, a 36-year-old Emirati from Abu Dhabi, who appeared in Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday charged with taking morphine, was taken by her mother to the emergency room at Rashid Hospital on July 4 and admitted for treatment, said prosecutors. Her mother reportedly told doctors that her daughter was behaving in an abnormally irrational way and speaking incoherently.

Records show doctors conducted blood and urine tests on the woman, which revealed traces of a morphine byproduct in her system. Prosecutors said the byproducts could only be there as a result of the abuse of a controlled or banned drug. Lt Abdullah Hussain Lootah, the police officer called by hospital authorities to investigate, told prosecutors that the mother told him she had grown suspicious after finding her daughter talking incoherently.

"After her mother described her state to us, we took the results of the blood and urine test and proceeded to issue an arrest warrant for the woman," he said. Prosecution records show NA gave investigators a medical report that explained the presence of the drug in her system as a result of prescription medication. However, the medical examiner's report presented to the court by prosecutors stated the substances found in NA's blood stream were more likely a result of heroin consumption.

NA denied the charges that presiding Judge Fahmy Ounir Fahmy read out to her. She could face up to four years in jail if found guilty. The case was adjourned to October 10 and NA will remain in custody. @Email:[e-mail]