Sharjah: Obaida Ebrahim Al Aqrabawi’s mother, Zainab, has not stopped praying since she learnt the news of her son’s fate. Though devastated, she is holding on, she said, for the sake of her husband and two small daughters.

Her two daughters, Aya, 6, and Tala, 4, cannot stop asking where their brother has gone. Zainab has told them Obaida is now in heaven. Aya has told her mother that she has seen her brother in her dreams, and has called out to him. “They are so sad about their brother and I can feel their grief,” said Zainab.

“I feel that Obaida is staying with us and his shadow follows me everywhere,” she said.

The psychologist offering them counselling has advised her to not speak about the death of her son in front of her daughters because it will affect them.

Obaida’s parents are doing their best to overcome their grief for the sake of their daughters.

Obaida’s father, Ebrahim Al Sedqi Al Aqrabawi, has resumed his daily routine and reopened his vehicle repair shop. Al Aqrabawi told Gulf News that on Sunday he went to Al Rashidiya Police to collect his son’s death certificate and cancel his visa. “I have great confidence in the judicial system of UAE,” he said.

The family is demanding the most severe punishment for the suspect.

“Many people across UAE have shown sympathy and solidarity with us and visited us after news of the crime spread.”

The family appreciated the visit of the Sharjah Ruler as well as visits by police delegations, officials from different departments and citizens across the country, which helped them overcome their grief, Al Aqrabawi said.

The family is planning to go on Umrah soon, added Obaida’s mother.

Meanwhile, Moza Salem Al Shoomi, member of the Ministry of Interior’s Higher Committee for Child Protection, told Gulf News, “We should pay more attention to the aspect of awareness in parents as well as in children. We should teach children how to deal with strangers and relatives and this should be done through parents.

“It is very important to educate children on how to protect themselves and avoid strangers,” she added.

Al Shoomi said that she has held a number of workshops to spread awareness on child protection and child safety.

Each child group category, she said, is tempted by different things. For example, children in the age group of 5-7 are attracted by offers of chocolates while teenagers are drawn to gifts such as mobile phones, games and branded items.

In Obaida’s case, had he been made aware that it was important to take his parents’ permission before going out with someone, this tragedy could have been averted, said Al Shoomi.

Ahmad Ebrahim Al Tartoor, Director of Protection of Children’s Administration at Sharjah Social Services Department, told Gulf News, that Obaida’s case was individual and painful.

“I call on the Ministry of Interior to ban the entry of any person with a criminal record in his country and [they] should be deported if they enter the [UAE] because he/she will repeat the crime.”

“Any person with a criminal record should have tough action taken against them,” Al Tartoor said.