UAE: The brother of Sheikha Al Hamir Alshemeili, a 50-year-old Emirati woman who went missing in Ras Al Khaimah, has recounted her final known movements before she was found dead. She is believed to have walked nearly two kilometres after leaving a hospital, although the official cause and time of her death have not been confirmed.
Sheikha had been receiving psychiatric treatment for more than 25 years. According to her brother, Mohammad Al-Hamir Alshemeili, she left the hospital at around 6.50am on Tuesday, October 6, after being admitted the previous day.
Woman reportedly left hospital by climbing over wall
Mohammad said his sister received an injection on Monday night. The following morning, she allegedly used a chair to climb over a hospital wall and leave the premises without supervision.
“She placed a chair against the wall, climbed onto it and jumped over,” he recalled.
Sheikha is believed to have walked towards a nearby residential area, passing between houses before she was eventually found near Ras Al Khaimah Club in Seih Al Araibi.
Her brother estimated that she covered almost two kilometres on foot. He believes the long walk, together with her medical condition, may have affected her physical state. However, authorities have not officially confirmed what led to her death.
The family also raised concerns about how she was able to leave the hospital unnoticed. Mohammad said he wished relatives had been informed earlier, as they could have helped with the search and identified places she might have visited.
Ras Al Khaimah Police confirmed her death on Thursday, October 8, following a public appeal issued earlier that day seeking information about her whereabouts. Police extended their condolences to the family.
Brother remembers her as gentle and reserved
Mohammad described Sheikha as a quiet, gentle woman who preferred peaceful surroundings and generally kept to herself. He said her mental health difficulties began during her early teenage years, when she was in her first year of secondary school.
He believes the death of their younger brother, who died of natural causes at around one or two years old, deeply affected her.
“She was affected by his death. From that time, little by little, her psychological condition began to change,” Mohammad recalled.
Over the years, she became increasingly withdrawn and preferred spending time alone rather than socialising. Even ordinary household noises, including maintenance and repair work, could disturb her, he said.
Despite these challenges, Mohammad remembered his sister as a peaceful person who never caused trouble or harmed others.
“She never harmed anyone. She was always peaceful and kept to herself,” he said.
He added that she felt particularly comfortable around him, even though she generally preferred solitude.
Family thanks Ras Al Khaimah Police
As the family mourns her loss, relatives, friends and members of the community have offered condolences and prayers.
Mohammad expressed gratitude to Ras Al Khaimah Police, particularly officers at Al Mamourah Police Station, for their efforts to locate his sister.
He thanked the officers for their dedication and care during the search, saying they treated Sheikha like a member of their own family.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain subject to official confirmation, with no definitive cause of death provided in the reported account.
