Authorities release nannies in girls' death

Two nannies who were looking after the three Emirati sisters killed in a car crash last week are released by police and have returned to the girls' home.

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ABU DHABI // Two nannies who were looking after the three Emirati sisters killed in a car crash last week have been released by police and have returned to the girls' home. The sisters, ages four, six and seven, died when they were hit by a speeding vehicle near the Carrefour supermarket on Airport Road a week ago. Three of their four Indonesian nannies were on the road with them, and one was seriously injured. The other two, who suffered only minor injuries, were questioned by police on suspicion of neglect.

But a spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy said yesterday that the two nannies in custody, ages 22 and 24, had returned to their employer's home and were working for the same Emirati family. "I went to the police station on Friday and the police officer told me that the employer is a very nice person and has a deep faith in God," said Hannan Hadi, the head of the consular section at the Indonesian Embassy.

Mr Hadi said he had been told by investigating officers that the nannies were released without charge, although officials were still awaiting the investigation's conclusions. "We'll have to wait and see," he said. "They were earlier investigated for not taking care of the children when they crossed the road." The case will also be referred to a court for discussions on reparations to be paid by the Emirati driver of the car.

On Friday, Mr Hadi visited the third Indonesian nanny, age 24, at the intensive care unit of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. "She was in a very bad state," he said. "We cannot get hold of a medical report, since the doctor was not present. "We interviewed the nurse on duty at the hospital instead." Last week, Abu Dhabi Police confirmed they were interviewing the driver of the car in the deaths, and said he had been speeding.

The girls' parents were in Saudi Arabia at the time of the accident with their three other children. Although the girls have not been named, their father was identified as Salem al Mansouri. @Email:rruiz@thenational.ae