These kinds of incidences are practically routine in Saudi Arabia, where mothers have practically zero rights. They can't even leave the country without the permission of a male guardian. Needless to say, mothers have no custody rights (beyond what men decide to give them). Therefore, any abusive husband gets full custody on demand.
And let's be frank: only abusers take the children away from a loving, fit mother. I'm sure Daddy knew exactly what the step was up to, and had no objections. The fact that the mother wasn't even informed of the girl's death till she was buried tells you everything you need to know about how the control freak mind works.
UNNAMED DAD
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140904217071
Little Saudi girl ‘killed by abusive stepmother after she ate biscuit without permission’
RIYADH – An eight-year-old girl who suffered from sickle-cell anemia died after her stepmother allegedly beat her to death over a piece of biscuit and abused her 11-year-old brother, Sabq.org website reported.
Ahmad, who is being treated at King Fahd Medical City Hospital, told the website that the stepmother, identified only as Kalthoum, continuously tortured him and his sister Roa.
He said: “Out aunt Kalthoum would always not let us eat.
“That day, Roa and I were hungry so we went to the kitchen and had some biscuits.
“The next day, Aunt Kalthoum barged into our room and started beating us with an electric cord.”
He said the stepmother asked them to go outside in the yard under the scorching sun and walk barefoot for some minutes.
When Roa cried because of the sun heat, they were told to go inside and stand on one leg.
“Suddenly, Aunt Kalthoum grabbed the broom and bludgeoned Roa right on the head then held her hair and banged her head against the wall, causing her to lose her consciousness,” Ahmad said.
At this point of his account, Ahmad, who also suffers from sickle cell, got hysterical and had to be sedated.
Ruba, Roa’s elder sister, then continued the story.
“When Roa fell unconscious, Aunt Kalthoum thought she was acting.
“She carried Roa and threw her body at the corner of the bed, where she again hit her head.
“My sister started crying with a low sound then started breathing fast.
“Aunt Kalthoum was shouting at Roa and calling her a big liar.
“Then she stopped breathing.”
When the father returned home, Ruba told him Roa died.
He rushed her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Doctors immediately called the police and the stepmother, who is in her 40s, was arrested and later confessed to the killing.
Roa’s biological mother, who is divorced, said: “If I knew the stepmother would kill my little girl over a piece of biscuit, I would’ve given her that piece.
“What was Roa’s fault?
“I demand that she gets the death sentence for killing my little sick daughter.”
The biological mother did not know about her daughter’s death until she was buried.
She used to have custody over her four daughters and son before her ex-husband managed to get the decision overturned.
He took his five children to live with him and his wife after their mother remarried.