Help us find Bader

SUPPORTERS of the family of toddler Bader Jawad Hussain Mubarak are considering offering a reward for information leading to the return of the three-year-old.

Bader has been missing since July 10 and despite an extensive search by his family who live in Samaheej, the Interior Ministry as well as neighbours and friends he has not been found yet.
The award has been suggested to Muharraq Governor Salman Bin Hindi by Samaheej Sports Club head of social activities Abbas Al Mu’alem. 
In his part, Mr Bin Hindi promised to forward the matter to Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa for approval.
Mr Al Mu’alam said everyone is working hand-in-hand to find Bader who celebrated his birthday on June 1.
“As a club we are trying our best to find Bader, it is just very sad what happened to him and there are no words for what his family are going through, they are very desperate to know what happened to him, that is why we thought that a cash reward might encourage the public to pay more attention,” he said.
“Mr Bin Hindi has been very supportive and personally following every single detail about this tragic incident with the Interior Ministry officials as well as the family and he promised to forward the suggestion to the Premier.”
Bader went missing while he was playing outside his house.   
Police have searched Bader’s house, which is located near the seaside, but found no trace of the toddler.  They also looked in a farm which had a ditch filled with waste and mud as well as sewers surrounding the house.
“Honestly, the Interior Ministry force did, and is still doing, its level best to find Bader.  We are all praying for his safe return to his loved ones,” said Mr Al Mu’alem.
“Even the coastguards searched the area several times just in case he had gone playing in the sea but again nothing was found.”
More than 2,000 posters with Bader’s photograph and information have been distributed in the surrounding areas in a hope of finding Bader.
His mother, Sakeena Kanan Ali Al Mulla said Bader’s hair is fairer than what it appears on the poster and the family issued a more recent photograph to encourage GulfWeekly readers to keep a look out for the child.
“In the poster his hair colour is blackish but in reality he has lighter-coloured hair,” she said. “I miss my son. I just hope that he is safe wherever he is.
“I don’t know how to function, I feel numb. My family and neighbours are with me all the time to ease my pain and help me go through this horrible incident but it is just too difficult and painful.”
Mrs Al Mulla said that a night before her son vanished, she gave him dinner, bathed him and put him in bed.
“The next day, on Tuesday, I had an appointment for an X-ray in Salmaniya Medical Complex, so I left the house, while he was sleeping, with my husband around 10.30am,” she added.
“His 10-year-old brother Ali was with him along with my mother but when we came back around 2pm he was not in the house and when I asked Ali about him he said that he and Bader just came home from a cold store nearby.
“While Ali stayed in the house watching television, Bader left to play in front of the house.
“We started looking for him near the house but we didn’t find him then we went to the neighbours and asked if anyone had seen him – but no one had.
“I called his older brother Mohammed and told him that his brother was missing so he went looking for him in the area in his car and when even he failed to find him we called the police.”
Mrs Al Mulla’s Saudi husband Jawad, 58, is a part-time taxi driver.
Mrs Al Mulla, has seven children, four from a previous marriage, and said her youngest son used to accompany her wherever she went.
“Bader never leaves my sight, wherever I go, he goes.  That day he was asleep and I didn’t feel like waking him and ruining his nap, so I thought I will leave him in the house and come back as soon as possible.  Now I wish that I have taken him with me,” she said.
“It is hard not knowing if your child is alive or not, if he is safe or not.  Whether he is hurt, kidnapped or just lost his way.
“I just pray that he is alive and safe and that someone might find him and report it to the police.
“I want to see my son again, every night I pray to God that he is found the next day … but unfortunately he is not.”
Bader’s family will leave their home in a few couple of days and move to temporary accommodation in the area under directives from the Premier to rebuild their house which was listed for improvements.

Special Report
By Farishta Saeed
farishtasaeed@gmail.com