A barefoot 3-year-old was playing with a scooter near a busy street in London. No one was watching him.
The woman in her care had collapsed against some railings, next to an unconscious man. She was Mahrah Al Nahyan, 32, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family by marriage. Passersby noticed that the little boy was alone, looked after him, and alerted the police. One of them recorded a video showing her lying on the pavement, surrounded by toys, including a scooter and an airplane.
According to accounts from the trial, it took her about 30 minutes to respond when officers arrived. Upon waking, she reportedly shouted: “This isn’t a slaughterhouse, why do you care so much?”. Drug paraphernalia was found in her bags, but no substances. Her defense says she did not use any drugs that day and has been receiving addiction treatment since July.
On October 13, she pleaded guilty to child neglect. The sentence: a two-year community order with rehabilitation and a fine. Do you think that’s enough?
