A maid was stabbed to death with a meat skewer and another critically injured with a knife during a bloody fight in a laundry cupboard, police have revealed.

The pair, both Ethiopian women in their 20s, clashed at their employer's villa in Bar Dubai yesterday morning.

Police found them at 11am lying in a pool of their blood after breaking down the door, which had been locked from the outside.

Violent affair: One maid died on the way to hospital and the other, who had been stabbed with a knife, is recovering in intensive care

One of the maids, identified only as HSS, died on the way to Rashid Hospital, according to The National.

The condition of the other woman, known as FYA, is now starting to stabilise.

 

 

More...

• Woman saves kids from runaway car while her own vehicle rolls away into traffic

 

'She has been moved out of intensive-care unit, but is still in a very bad psychological condition,' said Col Ali Ghanem, director of the Bur Dubai Police station. 

LIFE AS A DUBAI MAID

Most households in Dubai employ foreign maids and some face difficult working conditions.

The majority of large properties - particularly those of wealthy Western expats - are built with cramped living quarters for maids and the staff do their employers' washing, ironing, cleaning, babysitting and cooking.

According to a survey conducted by the Saudi magazine Sayidaty at the end of last year, more than three million maids in the Arab world are living in deplorable conditions and even more incidents of verbal and physical abuse are reported.

Crimes committed by housemaids in Dubai increased by nearly 17 per cent in 2011 and police believe this was mainly because of employers' cruelty as well as workers' ignorance of the region’s traditions.

'She tried to hurt herself and she was banging her head in the wall. We are not sure of her mental condition, but we are still waiting until she gets better to be able to question her.'

Authorities still do not know what caused the fight between the two women, who worked in the same household along with 10 other maids, but police said there had been no previous fights between the two.

'Employers must be careful in selecting their housemaids,' said Dubai police commander Lieutenant General Dahi Tamim, according to Emirates 247.

'They should keep an eye on them for any abnormal behaviour to ensure they do not have any psychiatric problems.'

Another police officer was quoted as saying it was an 'individual crime' which should not be 'generalised'.

Major General Khamis Al Mazinah, Dubai’s deputy police commander, said: 'There could be an old dispute between the two… but it is unfortunate that such a violent and ugly crime takes place inside a house, whose owners are not used to this…

'We are still questioning all other maids about the incident.'

Posted in: A maid was stabbed to death with a meat skewer and another critically injured with a knife during a bloody fight in a laundry cupboard,police have revealed.