An Indian expatriate in the UAE and his wife have pardoned a driver whose car fatally struck their 22-month-old son in Sharjah last week.
The toddler, Alan Rumi, died in the incident on Wednesday evening while visiting his father in the UAE with his mother from Kerala. Sharjah Police earlier confirmed the accident occurred after 7pm.
As reported by Gulf News, the parents said they have no complaint against the driver, whose vehicle hit their only child, born six years after their marriage in 2018.
The incident took place in a sandy parking area near the family’s residential building in Muwaileh, not on a main road. The mother had gone to dispose of garbage in the lot where trash bins are located while her husband was at work in Dubai.
According to the report, the child ran free as she was throwing away rubbish. A neighbour who had parked in the area was reversing his car at the same time and was unable to stop before the child was struck.
Gulf News reported that the driver immediately rushed the child and his mother to a nearby private hospital rather than waiting for an ambulance. Doctors later referred the boy to a government hospital, but he died of internal injuries after being transferred.
The child was buried in Dubai the following day, and the couple returned to India.
Before leaving the UAE, the parents informed authorities in writing that they did not wish to file a complaint against the driver, according to Gulf News. The father stated that they did not want another family to suffer over an unintentional incident.
Sharjah Police told Gulf News that the investigation has been completed and the case has been referred to the Public Prosecution. Police also urged parents and motorists to exercise caution to prevent similar accidents.