Public Prosecution Building. Al-Ahram
The family, from the Deir Mawas district, was initially thought to have died from an infectious disease. However, detectives now suspect the second wife poisoned the family by lacing bread with insecticide.
Her alleged motive was jealousy, stemming from fears that her husband’s recent reconciliation with his first wife would lead to her own abandonment, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior.
The ministry confirmed that legal measures have been taken against the suspect, and the Public Prosecution is continuing its investigation to uncover the full circumstances of the crime.
The tragedy unfolded on 12 July, when six children were rushed to the hospital with symptoms including vomiting, fever, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Four died shortly after admission.
Another died days later, and the last of the siblings succumbed soon after.
On 25 July, their father, who had reportedly shown the same symptoms, also died — fueling suspicion of foul play.
The case was treated as a mystery in the mainstream and social media, with speculation that the children had died from meningitis.
The Ministry of Health and Population issued a statement dismissing those claims as “unfounded and scientifically unverified.”
The ministry added that there is no medical evidence to support the simultaneous occurrence of deaths from an infectious disease.
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