Manama: Bahrainis are still reeling under the shock of the death of two boys, both named Firas, in two separate incidents.
Firas Mohammad Ahmad, a three-year-old Egyptian, was found dead hours after he was reported missing.
He was playing with young neighbours on Monday afternoon, and when his mother called for him at around 6pm, nobody could tell her where he was.
The family alerted the police and a frantic search operation was launched. Social media was used to disseminate his picture and ask for people who had any information about him to come forward.
His body was found on Tuesday morning inside the trunk of a neighbour’s car, a Sudanese working in a pharmacy and who reported a foul smell. The car was parked near the family’s home.
The police are still investigating the incident.
The other child, Firas Abdul Emam, seven, was killed on Monday when he was run over by a car reportedly driven by a Bahraini in the village of Bani Jamra, west of the capital Manama.
“It was fate and his destiny was to end in a tragic car accident,” a relative said. “Firas was a much loved and appreciated child and was popular among relatives, neighbours and friends. His sudden death came as a shock to all of us, particularly his mother who has been finding it difficult to accept the terrible reality. She keeps asking everyone when Firas is coming home.”
On social media and among the people mourning the two deaths, Bahrainis have expressed a strong sense of unity in the face of tragedy.
The young age of the two children and the coincidence of their names gave an extra dimension to the sorrow.
“Two flowers have faded on the same day, one asphyxiated in the trunk of a car and the other run over by a car,” one media user said. “They were miles apart, but they shared the name, Firas, and the value of innocence. It is a tragedy that brought the same beat to all hearts.”
