MADINA: The Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (BIP) in Madina launched an investigation Wednesday into the role of the father of an American woman who allegedly committed suicide on June 9. The body of Zainab, 27, has been in the King Fahd Hospital morgue for 20 days. Her father has not appeared in public since his daughter's death. Authorities have for weeks rejected requests from the dead woman's brothers to get her body for burial because of the absence of her father who is her guardian and the family's authorized representative, the woman's eldest brother, who is studying at a university in Britain. Authorities had also rejected a request recently from the woman's ex-husband, M. Sh., to bury her because they had divorced three months before she died. The woman died after falling from her fourth floor room of her family's apartment. The woman's brother, A.M., said that his father has surrendered to the police in an unrelated case. He also informed Okaz/Saudi Gazette that they received a permit on Wednesday to get Zainab's body for burial. A.M. stressed that his father is being held in custody for financial debts and there was no connection with his sister's death. He said his father had handed himself over to the police at their request. The ex-husband has blamed the family for the delay in getting her buried. Okaz/Saudi Gazette telephoned the woman's ex-husband but he did not elaborate. He only confirmed Zainab's father being taken into custody. He refused to comment on the woman's father remaining at home recently and his alleged reluctance to begin procedures to get her body for burial. Okaz/Saudi Gazette reported previously that Zainab's family and her ex-husband have blamed each other for her alleged poor mental health. According to the former husband, Zainab was looking for a way to escape from being confined by her family after her divorce and did not intend to commit suicide. He rejected accusations he had caused deterioration in her mental health, which led to her allegedly committing suicide. M. Sh. said he was sure his ex-wife was trying to escape from confinement after being barred from leaving the house. M. Sh. also rejected accusations he had pointed a gun at her, but acknowledged that he beat her twice after she burned his clothes.
