Woman Slashed Own Throat After Heartbreak Of Daughter's Death

Sobia and daughter Mehwesh

Sobia Yousef, 36, is said to have killed herself in front of horrified shoppers, taking a blade from the supermarket’s shelves and plunging it into her neck. Friends said she had been driven to despair and had been given psychiatric treatment after the death of her nine-year-old, Mehwesh Mahmood.

When the girl lost her battle on October 23 with a heart defect she had struggled with from birth, Sobia told her family: “Life is not worth living.” Yet despite refusing to eat or drink and not taking her medication, social services in Bradford, West Yorks, and psychiatric experts would not section her.


Her elder brother Imtiaz Ali, 55, last night said: “We just don’t want any other family to go through what we have. Everybody has let us down.” Mehwesh was diagnosed with a hole in the heart when she was born. Despite operations she was expected not to reach the age of 10.

She had a happy childhood with sister Aqsa, 14, brother Shaweeb, 12, and dad Tariq. But she was most attached to mum Sobia. Mr Ali said:
“Mehwesh went in for another operation at Leeds General Infirmary and Sobia was told it would help her live up to 18 years old. "
“She came home for a while but there were complications." 
“When doctors told my sister there was nothing they could do to save her daughter, she changed. Sobia would not eat or drink or sleep for days and would not leave Mehwesh’s bedside for two months.” 

Before the girl died, Sobia was sectioned under the Mental Health Act at Airedale Hospital, Keighley. But she improved enough to be discharged and continued her bedside vigil with Mehwesh. Councillor Imdad Hussain yesterday joined the woman’s family and friends for the start of a four-day mourning ceremony. He said: “It is such a terribly sad way for anyone to end their life.”

Sobia killed herself at an Asda near her home in Shipley, West Yorks, at around 9am on Tuesday. An inquest was opened and adjourned yesterday.

Culled from Mirror