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A father whose premature baby died after he failed to seek life-saving medical attention and did not report the birth to authorities has lost his appeal in court.
Last month, the Pakistani man and his Filipina wife were sentenced to three years in prison for neglecting their child, unintentionally killing it by not consulting a doctor during or after the pregnancy, and carrying out a do-it-yourself (DIY) delivery at home.
The expatriate couple later buried the child in an unmarked grave in Adhari without informing authorities and were also convicted of concealing the birth and death.
The High Criminal Court ordered the deportation of the couple after they complete their sentences, along with a third suspect who assisted the 35-year-old mother in the secret burial.
The 26-year-old Pakistani delivery driver lodged an appeal against the verdict at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court, but without his Filipino co-defendants.
“Neglect is when a parent or caregiver does not do what is necessary to ensure the child’s safety,” read the verdict.
“The act of endangering a child does not require criminal intent.
“As the child’s father, the appellant knew of its pre-term birth, and that special medical care was needed to ensure its survival. But the father did not perform his duty.
“This led to the use of non-medical methods in the delivery. The umbilical cord was cut with a non-sterile non-surgical tool, and a non-medical thread was used to tie the cord.
“He did not ensure the child was presented with the needed care.”
This neglect – legally classified as mistreatment – unintentionally led to the baby’s death, according to the ruling.
The court heard that the infant’s mother did not seek medical attention, fearing deportation as her residency had expired.
Medics said the infant – born after six to seven months of pregnancy – would likely have survived if taken to hospital.
In the initial trial, a friend of the mother – a fellow Filipina – was sentenced to six months in prison for helping her secretly bury the baby, thereby preventing an investigation into the death.
Both Filipinas were also sentenced to an additional month in prison for not having valid residency in Bahrain. Judges ordered the deportation of all three defendants after they complete their sentences.
The GDN reported that the expatriate couple met on TikTok in 2022, with the woman travelling to Bahrain to join her partner in early 2024. In March 2025, she discovered she was pregnant and the couple decided to keep the baby, but did not seek medical care as her visa had expired.
“On August 23, while alone in their apartment, the defendant experienced pain and contractions, despite only being six to seven months’ pregnant,” the initial ruling read.
“Her water broke and she pushed hard. Around 10 minutes later, the baby was delivered. She used a pair of scissors to cut the baby’s umbilical cord. The baby had a fully-formed body.
“She heard it cry and attempted to breastfeed, but it did not respond. At around 2am the following day, she noticed the baby had turned pale and showed signs of asphyxiation, with its colour changing to yellow.”
The couple tried to revive the child, but it later died. They then decided to conceal what had happened. The mother and her co-worker met outside their workplace in the Adhari area and found an empty lot where they buried the child. They dug a small grave near a mosque, wrapped the infant with a white cloth, and lowered it in. The mum promised to visit the grave, the court was told.
Nearly four months later, in December, authorities were alerted to the body, which was subsequently exhumed.
An autopsy found that the baby measured 40cm in length, and had hair on its head, fully-formed bones, complete limbs and ribs connected to tissue. The forensic doctor was unable to determine the baby’s sex. No fractures or wounds were found.
A DNA test revealed that the defendants were the biological parents. The mother was medically examined and evidence of a recent, natural delivery was found.
Witnesses – mainly the Filipinas’ co-workers – testified that the mother had lied to them and said that she had sent the baby back to its father’s home country.
Although the father lost his court appeal, the Filipinas are yet to take to the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court to contest the sentence.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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