Child drops dead at games centre in Saudi mall

A 12-year-old Saudi boy dropped dead inside a packed games centre in a major shopping mall in Saudi Arabia to the horror of other children, and relatives believe he was electrocuted while playing with an electrical car.

Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Harthi was with his family at the mall in the western Saudi town of Taif on Sunday night when he asked his father to allow him to go to the games centre in the second floor. Minutes later, the family was told their son dropped dead.

Police said they were waiting for the coroner’s report on the cause of the boy’s death but relatives pointed a finger at the mall management, saying he was electrocuted.

“Faisal was rushed to hospital but he was already dead before arrival. Despite suspicions he was electrocuted, the game centre remained open and was still packed…the mall’s management made no move to shut the centre,” Sabq daily said, quoting the victim’s uncle, Mohammed Al Harthi.