Khbarani - The announcement by the Saudi Ministry of Interior of carrying out an execution by severe punishment against a Saudi woman and a Yemeni man, in the case known in the media as "Dammam Kidnapper," has generated a wide response on social media, after years of public interest and tracking of a case that dates back more than two decades.
The Ministry of Interior had issued a statement in which it confirmed the execution of the death penalty by severe punishment against Mariam Al-Muteb and Mansour Qaid Abdullah, after proving their involvement in kidnapping three newborn children from hospitals in the Eastern region, using deceptive tactics on the mothers, and falsely registering the children under non-biological parents, in addition to engaging in practices of sorcery and witchcraft, and covering up the crime.
The statement explained that the security forces managed to arrest the perpetrators after reopening the case file in 2020, following signs that some young adults raised by the accused as her own children displayed unnatural identity traits.
The statement pointed out that the competent court issued a final verdict after completion of the litigation stages, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, and a royal decree was issued to carry it out.
The beginning of the revelation about the case dates back to the summer of 2020, when the Public Prosecution began its investigations after attempts made by the three young men, who were then in their twenties, to correct their legal status and obtain identification documents.
This led to extensive investigations that revealed that the children were not the biological children of Mariam Al-Muteb, but had been kidnapped since their birth.
At the time, the spokesperson for the Public Prosecution, Majid al-Dsimani, explained that the accused lived in complete social isolation, severed her relations with her family and those around her, which helped her hide the crime for many years.
Investigations also revealed that a fourth child was found to be her biological son from a previous marriage, and not among the kidnapped. Meanwhile, her second husband, of Yemeni nationality, was charged with participation and covering up the kidnapping operations.
Investigations also disclosed that the motives of the accused were not monetary, and there was no proven intent of human trafficking or begging. Instead, she claimed to have resorted to sorcery to protect the children she kidnapped, which added a layer of mystery and ideological deviation to the case.
In the end, the implementation of the sentence ended one of the most prominent criminal cases that occupied the Saudi public opinion in recent years, leading to a broad discussion on the importance of tightening supervision in hospitals, improving identity verification processes, and protecting newborns from such severe violations.
Meanwhile, some entered extended discussions on social media about sympathizing with her because she raised the children and exerted efforts in nurturing them, and did not bear ill intent towards them. Others expressed their anger about such views being circulated, arguing there is no justification for kidnapping a child from their family, nor is there any possibility of sympathy for the perpetrator of this crime regardless of the circumstances.
