Emirati Royal Found Unconscious in London Street After Cocaine Binge While Caring for Child
An Emirati royal admitted to cocaine use and child neglect after being discovered passed out with a toddler nearby.
An Emirati royal was found passed out in a West London street following a cocaine binge while she was reportedly caring for a young child. Mahrah Al Nahyan, 32, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family by marriage, was discovered barefoot and slumped against railings in June by passersby.
Video captured by a bystander showed Al Nahyan unconscious next to a man also lying on the ground. A barefoot toddler was observed playing near a busy road where Al Nahyan was found. Members of the public remained with the child and Al Nahyan until police arrived. The relationship between Al Nahyan and the three-year-old has not been disclosed.
Al Nahyan, who admitted to consuming cocaine in the days leading up to the incident, was reportedly unable to respond to police for approximately 30 minutes due to her state. "This is not a slaughterhouse, why do you care so much? Why are you so worried?" she is reported to have exclaimed to officers when she regained consciousness.
Prosecutors told a judge that a passerby noticed the child was unattended and not wearing shoes, with members of the public intervening due to the child's proximity to moving traffic. Police searched Al Nahyan and found drug paraphernalia but no illegal substances.
Al Nahyan pleaded guilty to one charge of child neglect. Her defense attorney informed the judge that she has been undergoing treatment for drug addiction at a rehabilitation clinic since the incident and intends to complete a three-month program. She plans to rent a house near the clinic and attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings as a day patient upon completion of the program.
During sentencing, Al Nahyan's defense stated, "She made a grave mistake that day, and she knows it." She was sentenced by Justice Johnson KC to a two-year community order with a rehabilitation requirement and fined nearly $8,000. The judge was informed that Al Nahyan receives a monthly allowance of over $10,500. The Abu Dhabi royal family is estimated to be worth approximately $300 billion.