Stress takes its toll on the family of missing boy

THE mother of a four-year-old boy who vanished from outside his home more than a year-and-a-half ago fears she may never know his fate.

Bahraini Sakeena Kannan Al Mulla is afraid the Bahraini community has forgotten her son Bader Jawad Hussain Mubarak who was kidnapped 19 months ago.

Now, suffering from health problems, she says her heart is broken and she can't live her life not knowing what had happened to her little boy.

Since the tragic incident in July 2007, when Bader disappeared while playing outside the family home in Samaheej, Mrs Al Mulla has developed a deteriorating heart condition, a kidney problem and high blood pressure.

She said: "I can't go on like this, I don't know if Bader is alive or dead, I don't know if he is safe or in danger, I don't know if he is in pain or not, I don't know if he is fed, clothed or sheltered ... I am a mother who does not know what has happened to her son or where he is right now.

"I spend all my days thinking about Bader, hoping that he is still alive, praying that he is fine wherever he is.

"I pray and pray but my prayers have not been answered yet and what breaks my heart is that I don't know if they will ever be an answered."

Bader was taken around 20 months ago while Mrs Al Mulla was attending an appointment at Salmaniya Medical Complex.

She left the house with her husband around 10.30am while Bader was sleeping. His 10-year-old brother Ali was in the house with him along with his grandmother.

When she came back around 2pm Bader was not there, Ali told her that he and his little brother had just returned from a cold store nearby but while Ali stayed in the house watching television, Bader went to play in front of the house.

He has not been seen from that day to this.

The family immediately started looking for Bader near their home and asked if neighbours had seen him - but no one had.

They called the police for help when they didn't find him anywhere but all trace of the child was gone.

Mrs Al Mulla's Saudi husband Jawad, 58, is part-time taxi driver and currently lives in Saudi Arabia with his second wife and children. Mrs Al Mulla has seven children, five from a previous marriage, and said her youngest son used to accompany her wherever she went.

The active search for him by the Interior Ministry was called off last year but investigations are still ongoing in a bid to find him.

But the pressure of a life not knowing the truth is taking its toll on Mrs Al Mulla's health.

She said: "I am not feeling fine, the doctors tell me that my heart's condition is not very good and if I don't look after myself I will have a serious condition, my kidney is not functioning properly and my blood pressure is high most of the time.

"My doctors advise me not to think too much or get stressed, but how can I not think about my son.

"I want my son to come back to us, to me, and I promise that I will never leave him alone for one second. I will keep him safe and happy."

Bader's eldest brother Mohammed said he is frustrated that nothing seems to be being done and called for increased action on kidnapping.

"I know that it has been almost two years since Bader vanished, but we still have hope that he might be found," he said.

"We do appreciate the Interior Ministry's effort to find Bader but we need an answer, we need to know if he is alive or not."

Referring to recent attempted kidnappings of young children in the malls and public places he added: "The government must do something about these increasing incidents. All the time we read in the newspapers or hear from the people that strange men were trying to kidnap little boys and girls.

"There should be more guards or security police in public places to ensure that everyone is safe and that the kidnappers are caught and put in jail."