An autopsy and forensics examination has confirmed that five-year-old Rawzan was abused, focusing attention again on allegations that the Makkah youngster was beaten to death by her stepmother. In another twist to the case, it now appears that Rawzan's brother has provided testimony to the prosecution that he was also allegedly abused by his stepmother. Investigators are also probing the role played by Rawzan's father who allegedly tried to cover up the abuse, it was reported in an Arabic daily on Wednesday. The medical investigation ordered by the prosecution shows that the young girl had gastritis, hypotension, and bruises on her head and left hand. The stepmother has denied all the charges, but Rawzan's brother now claims she burned him with a hot spoon and promised him SR1,000 if he did not testify against her. The plaintiff's lawyer representing the victim's family, who has offered his services free-of-charge, said that the evidence points to the stepmother being the perpetrator. He said Rawzan's father had taken her first to a private hospital where she was declared dead, and then to the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Makkah, where the doctors also confirmed she had died. He claimed the father tried to mislead the police so that he could bury the body before any examination could be undertaken. Ahmed Mewali, Rawzan's uncle, said Rawzan was the daughter of his sister Khadeja, who died of a heart attack five years ago, when the girl was only two years old. Mewali said Rawzan's father then married another woman seven months after his sister's death. The father is now living in Al-Aziziya District in Makkah. He claimed that the father rejected all requests to allow his family to raise Rawzan. He said justice should take its course and those responsible for her death must be punished; and added that there were clear signs his niece was abused. Suliman Al-Zaidi, supervisor of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) in Makkah, said the organization is monitoring the case.
