Custodial dad admits killing 3-year-old daughter, torturing her sisters (Abha, Saudi Arabia)

UNNAMED DAD had custody and deprived the mother of visitation. Notice that there are no assurances that the mother will get custody now.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140302197306

Abha father admits to torturing girl to death

Saudi Gazette report

ABHA — A Saudi citizen has admitted to killing his daughter and torturing his other daughters by chaining them to windows and doors, Al-Watan daily reported.

The man, who was separated from his wife, was raising his three daughters without any supervision and deprived their mother of visitation rights.

He chained his two daughters to windows in the house while his three-year-old daughter Reem was chained to a door. When he returned home one day, he found Reem dead and took her to the hospital where staff notified police. He initially told police that she died on a swing when the ropes wrapped around her neck, choking her to death, but later admitted to killing her.

A source at the school where the three sisters were studying said Reem and her sisters stopped coming to school just before final exams last year.

"The father was contacted to allow his daughters to return to school, but he replied that his daughters did not benefit from their studies," she said while adding that the educational department was notified, but before they could act, the news of Reem's death reached the school.

Spokesman for Asir Police Lt. Col. Abdullah Shathan confirmed police have referred the case to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP).

Sources said when the father was being transported to the BIP office, he asked to be taken directly to court and said, "I killed Reem."

A source at a Asir child protection home said they had received a report that the three sisters were being tortured, but it was ambiguous.

"The report stated that the sisters were living in Khamis Mushayt while in fact they were living in Abha, and when officials called the telephone number mentioned in the report there was no reply," the source said while adding that the two sisters have been admitted to the home according to the instructions of the emir of Asir. They are being provided with the necessary care.

"Their mother has visited the two sisters after years of deprivation and they are in good health and will remain at the home until a suitable and safe environment is provided to them," the source added.