Man’s decade-long hospital stay to continue

TDT | Manama

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For over 10 years, a man with an intellectual disability has lived in a government hospital — a reality that led to criminal charges against his ageing parents.

This week, the Minor Criminal Court acquitted the couple, ruling that the evidence did not support a guilty verdict.

The case revolved around allegations that the parents had refused to take their son back home, effectively abandoning him despite his long-term hospitalisation.

However, the 67-year-old father told prosecutors that his son, now in his forties, does not properly understand what is happening around him and suffers from additional medical conditions. He also said his son had previously been assaulted by others.

“We are not able to control him, and allowing him to live outside the hospital would put both him and others at risk,” the father told the court.

The couple denied abandoning their son and insisted they continue to care for him within their capacity. They said his monthly allowance is used to cover his needs, including clothing and food, and that they visit him regularly.

According to their statements, these visits include Fridays and Eid holidays. They also take him out occasionally for meals and to visit his grandmother.

A social and psychological assessment prepared for the prosecution supported the parents’ position. The report concluded that the couple’s age, health conditions and financial circumstances prevent them from providing care suited to their son’s condition. It recommended that he continue to remain under hospital supervision.

The court also heard testimony from the couple’s other son, who rejected the allegations and said his parents had not abandoned his brother. He told the court they continue to support him through regular visits and weekly outings whenever possible.

After reviewing the evidence, including the expert assessment, the court found insufficient grounds to convict the couple and ordered their acquittal.