By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: The interrogation of Zara Qairina Mahathir by her seniors was one of the main factors that led to the 13-year-old found lying unconscious outside her dormitory on July 16 last year, an expert told the Coroner's court.
Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Chua Sze Hung testified that the interrogation took place when Zara Qairina was called to A-3-6 dormitory between 9pm and midnight on July 15.
She was later found unconscious on the ground floor of SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha around 3am.
"The deceased had multiple predisposing suicide risk factors. It was inadequate for a suicide to occur without direct factors such as the interrogation in (dormitory room) A-3-6," the 67th witness testified before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan on the last day of week-long inquest into the 13-year-old girl's death.
During proceedings, the expert told the court that Zara Qairina's stressors included disappointment related to becoming a badar (prefect), unsatisfactory academic achievement and chronic insufficient sleep among others.
Lawyer Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah questioned whether Zara Qairina committed suicide immediately after the confrontation as there was a gap of between three and four hours before she was found unconscious.
"It has to be noted that being physically and psychologically isolated, a person who has problems regulating her emotions would likely engage in other emotionally focused strategies including ruminations.
"Together with the cognitive restriction, it created a sense of no alternative and inescapability.
"That led to the event of eventual suicide, I did not see any other factors in between those hours other than the interrogations," Dr Chua said.
Fikry is representing four of the children accused of hurling insulting remarks against Zara Qairina in a separate trial.
Comments
Post a Comment