ABU DHABI // A father suspected of strangling his 12-year-old son to death with an electrical cable after he failed his school exams has handed himself in to police.
Officers said the man, an unemployed Emirati in his 30s, is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic.
He is accused of beating his son with the cable for 15 minutes, despite the child's mother pleading with him to stop.
"The mother was in a different room when the father was beating his son in the majlis," said Lt Col Jumaa Al Kaabi, of Abu Dhabi CID. "When she saw them she kept begging him to stop but he did not listen."
When the boy lost consciousness his parents took him to hospital, but the father fled when alarmed doctors notified police.
"The father was hiding out somewhere," said Lt Col Al Kaabi. "The grandfather went to police and they told him to bring his son in. He said his son would come by himself – they said if he didn't do so they would bring him in anyway."
The father was arrested after going to the police station of his own accord.
Lt Col Al Kaabi said the father admitted beating the boy during interrogation and had expressed regret for the attack, which took place on January 16.
The boy has three sisters and was the eldest of five brothers.
The case has been referred to the Criminal Court.
nhanif@thenational.ae
