An Indian nanny in Dubai has been accused of strangling an 11-month-old baby girl to death with her scarf as she was denied leave to go back to her country, media reported.
The 29-year-old woman initially denied all accusations, but later reportedly confessed to prosecution investigators she killed the baby because she was in a hard condition after her mother passed away in India a month earlier, the Khaleej Times reported.
According to prosecution records, the nanny allegedly premeditated the crime Jan 18 and waited for her employer to leave their Al Nahda locality home for work at 10 a.m.
She then brought a scarf which she tied around the baby's neck and gagged her with her hand.
The nanny then continued doing her daily chores.
The baby died around 11 a.m.
The nanny then called up the 36-year-old mother and said that the baby was not waking up and had breathing difficulties.
The Indian parents said that they treated her as a family member and had bought her gifts.
"We treated her so well. She was like a sister to me. We ate on the same table," The National quoted the mother as saying.
"We celebrated her birthday and took her out for an ice-cream treat after we bought her some gifts," the sobbing husband added.
A forensics report has confirmed that there was a bruise around the baby’s neck from a tightened scarf, and that she had bruising around her mouth from being gagged.
The next hearing has been scheduled to May 22.