In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves through Egypt, a 10-month-old Sudanese infant named Gehan Gomaa was brutally assaulted and murdered in the Nasr City district of Cairo.

The Egyptian Public Prosecutor’s Office issued five key decisions on April 20 in response to the heinous crime, following an intense investigation and public outcry.

The decisions include the arrest of a suspect, an Egyptian laborer, who is accused of sexually assaulting and killing the infant, then discarding her body in a public garden.

The incident came to light when the “Refugees Platform in Egypt” received a report from the Sudanese refugee community regarding Gehan Gomaa’s disappearance. She had gone missing from her family’s residence on Hosny Mubarak Street in Nasr City, where she lived with her parents and older sister.

The infant’s mother had briefly left her under the care of her sister when Gehan wandered off and disappeared. After a frantic search by her family, they approached the local police station to report her disappearance.

Around the same time, eyewitnesses reported discovering the lifeless body of an infant in a nearby garden, which led to a police investigation. Initial reports suggest that Gehan was abducted by the suspect, sexually assaulted, and then killed before he attempted to dispose of her body in the garden.

However, neighbors believe that more than one person was involved in the crime, prompting the authorities to intensify their search by reviewing surveillance camera footage from the area where the infant disappeared and where her body was found.

The swift action by the Egyptian Public Prosecutor’s Office resulted in the arrest of the suspect, who has been detained for four days pending further investigation. The prosecutor’s office has ordered police and criminal investigations to continue, an autopsy to determine the cause of death, and a drug test for the suspect. Additionally, the suspect has confessed to committing the crime, reinforcing the grim reality of the incident.

The “Refugees Platform in Egypt” issued a statement expressing its deepest condolences to Gehan’s family and the Sudanese community in Egypt, lamenting the horrific nature of the crime and demanding justice for the infant.

They urged the Egyptian authorities to ensure a fair trial and disclose the investigation’s findings to the public. The platform also called for legislative reforms in Egypt to protect women and girls from violence, emphasizing the need for stronger laws to protect vulnerable groups like refugees and migrants.

The platform’s statement also demanded that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Cairo take measures to ensure the safety and protection of refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt. The message concluded with a plea for justice and an end to violence against refugees and asylum-seekers, with a call for peace and safety for Gehan’s family and the Sudanese community.

The tragic loss of Gehan Gomaa has not only devastated her family but has also ignited a broader conversation about racism, sexual violence, and the safety of vulnerable groups in Egypt. This heinous crime underscores the urgent need for justice and protection for those at risk.

May Gehan rest in peace, and may her family and the Sudanese community find strength and comfort in this difficult time.