Saudi father 'beats his seven-year-old daughter to death because ....

The man, who has not been named, allegedly battered seven-year-old Yara with an air conditioning hose in a fit of rage at his home in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

He locked his daughter in her bedroom after 'hitting her all over her body' and later found her in a critical condition.

He drove her to hospital, but she died on the way, it was reported. 

The mother said Yara had recently gone to live with her father under the terms of their divorce, against her daughter's wishes.

She said: 'She did not wish to move in with him and she was very unhappy.'

The mother said her former husband attacked his daughter the day before the Islamic festival of Eid, it was reported by Gulf News, which cited Saudi Daily Al Watan.

In a statement, she told prosecutors: 'He used a hose that he snatched from the air-conditioning unit and beat her all over her body.

'They believe the fatal blow occurred when he hit her hard on the head. He started beating her simply because she told him that she did not love him.

'He was furious and locked her inside a room. She had an uncontrollable crying fit.

'When he unlocked the room, he noticed she was in a bad condition and drove her to hospital. However, she died on the way.'

The father allegedly said he had wanted to 'educate' his daughter.

Prosecutors are investigating the death.

Saeed Al Qahtani, the mother’s lawyer, said: 'We are now waiting for the final medical report and for the prosecutors' charges.'

(dailymail.co.uk)