Families blamed for child accidental deaths

Fourteen children were killed in road mishaps and other accidents in Dubai in the first nine months of 2011 and negligence by their families was the main case of such deaths, according to a senior police officer.

The strong influence of some movies on children is another key factor in such accidents, which claimed the lives of 24 children in the emirate in 2010, said Colonel Jamal Al Jallaf, deputy director of the criminal investigation department.

Quoted by the Dubai-based Arabic language daily Emarat Alyoum, Jallaf said this year’s deaths included seven who were knocked over by cars, three who drowned, four as a result of falling from high floors and one due to suffocation.

“The common factor in such cases is the negligence by the parents or those who look after their children…one such case involved the drowning of a nine-year-old girl in a pool inside a building although her aunt was with her,” he said.

“Some parents also fail to take sufficient safety measures near their doors and windows while some children are influenced by violent movies.”

Jallaf said many parent spend much time on their balconies but fail to war their children against such an act, adding that children tend to imitate their parents.

“Some parents also do not bother shut the windows in their apartments and this is tempting their children to climb up and endanger their lives. “Some children could be influenced by certain characters in movies as they try to ape them in flying or diving under the water….children do not realize the danger of such acts especially as the dresses used by those legendary film characters are available in the local market,” he said.