By Nader Al-Enizi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

TABUK — A father was arrested for attempting to murder his newborn son on Monday in public in Dhibaa Governorate.

A father snuck into Al-Muwailih School’s courtyard with his newborn son and a blade in his hand. He laid down his son on the courtyard’s floor raising his blade to slaughter him. The man yelled out that he will slaughter his son as that is what his inner voice was telling him to do.

The teachers, students and staff at the school were horrified by the sight they were witnessing and immediately and tactfully interfered to save the newborn.

Tabuk Police Director Maj. Gen. Mohammad Al-Tamimi said the incident was reported to the police and the police immediately responded taking in the newborn and giving him back to his mother. The father was arrested and is being analyzed for any mental illnesses.

“The father has been previously arrested and he was diagnosed with mental issues. Emir of Tabuk Prince Fahd Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz supervised the incident and ordered a full sociological and psychological report of the state of the entire family of the newborn,” said Al-Tamimi.

The school’s principal Wael Al-Aqbi said that the school was guarded and sealed but the father snuck through one of the corners that was under construction.

“I told the teachers and staff to try to pull him away from the newborn while I report the incident to the police. They surrounded him throwing their shumagh and igaal at him. The father started to get dizzy and lost consciousness. That allowed the teachers to immediately snatch the baby away to secure him from his the father. We gave the newborn to his uncle,” said Al-Aqbi.

Lawyer Ibrahim Al-Basha said the father is subject to a month to a year of imprisonment. He added that the father is a direct threat to the child when he should be his protector. The father should lose custody of the child.