“I Forgot the Child in the Car”: Trial Begins for Woman Accused in Tragic Death of Preschooler

In a heart-wrenching scene filled with grief, a woman appeared before the First High Criminal Court to face charges of causing the death of a child after allegedly forgetting him inside her vehicle while on her way to drop him off at kindergarten — a tragedy that has shaken Bahrain and sparked widespread sympathy for the boy’s family.

When the charges were read aloud in court, the defendant, her voice trembling, admitted softly, “Yes… I forgot the child.” Her defense lawyer requested additional time to review the case files and obtain a full copy of the investigation documents, while also petitioning for her client’s release pending trial. The court adjourned the hearing to November 9, ordering that the defendant remain in custody until then.

 According to the Public Prosecution, the incident occurred on October 13, 2025, when the defendant, who was responsible for transporting the victim to kindergarten in her private car, forgot the child inside the locked vehicle for several hours, leading to his death from severe heat exhaustion. She was also charged with operating an unlicensed student transport service.

During the hearing, the prosecutor emphasized that the defendant had violated transport regulations and failed in her duty of care, despite being fully aware of the dangers of leaving children inside sealed vehicles. “A child in the prime of his life lost his future,” the prosecutor said, urging the court to impose the maximum penalty allowed by law.

The defense argued that the tragedy was not intentional, describing it as a “moment of human error and fate.” The lawyer explained that her client is a mother of three, whose husband has been detained abroad for some time, forcing her to take on student transport work to support her family after losing her husband’s financial allowances. She added that the defendant had been transporting the deceased child for over two years, and maintained a good relationship with his family.

The Public Prosecution’s investigation began immediately after receiving a report from the Northern Governorate Police Directorate in Hamad Town about the death of a four-and-a-half-year-old boy found inside a closed vehicle at midday.

A forensic team conducted an on-site inspection and impounded the vehicle for technical examination. The forensic report concluded that the boy’s death was caused by asphyxiation resulting from prolonged confinement in a sealed, unventilated car.

Investigators also questioned the child’s family, the kindergarten’s director and owner, and the defendant herself, who confessed to transporting children without a license and admitted forgetting the boy inside the car until he died.

Based on the gathered evidence, the Public Prosecution referred the defendant in custody to the First High Criminal Court to face trial for causing death by negligence and operating without a transport license.