Ibrahim Alawi
JEDDAH — A forensic report has ruled out homicide in the death of Nawaf Al-Silmy who was found dead in the school bus when the driver left him locked in the vehicle for six hours.
A source said the Education Directorate formed a committee to investigate the death of 6-year-old Nawaf Al-Silmy student.
“The committee consists of representatives from the directorate and its director, the police, school transportation department and legal affairs department of the directorate. The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution has detained the driver till all investigations are complete,” said the source.
The source said the hospital where Nawaf was taken to released a medical report stating that the cause of death was extreme reduction in blood flow causing the heart to stop.
“The family of the victim were not pleased with the medical report and demanded the forensic department at the police to take a second look at the body. The forensic report stated the body had no signs of violence or resistance prior to the death,” said the source.
The source also said the forensics reported that they have only done the external examination of the body.
“The forensics reported a blood sample of the victim was sent to the lab for a more intrusive examination to ensure that there are no poisons or foreign substances injected or consumed by the body,” said the source.
The source also said the forensics informed that the autopsy performed will help determine the cause of death and might lead to some clues on the murderer if the case was a homicide.
“The forensics’ tests involved an autopsy, blood sampling, full body X-ray and tests on the items of clothing the victim was wearing at the time of the death. What forensics look for is anything out of the ordinary and raises suspicions,” said the source.
The source also said the forensics take a few hours to perform all of these analyses and tests.
“The forensics then submits its report to the higher authority and the investigators continue their investigation with whatever information the forensics’ tests reveal. In Nawaf’s case, the forensics see no sign of a homicide,” said the source.
Waleed Al-Silmy, the victim’s cousin, said the school is fully responsible for Nawaf’s death.
“The school should have notified Nawaf’s parents the moment he was found absent from the class. It is part of every school’s responsibility to text the parents when a student is absent,” said Al-Silmy.
“Moreover, Nawaf always sat in the seat right behind the driver. It was so easy to notice him. His elder brother who is in middle school was in the same bus with him but he stepped out of the bus before Nawaf assuming that he will find his way to his class with his friends as usual,” said Al-Silmy.
