Mother agrees bruising on Zara Qairina’s back caused by blood clotting, not a blow

The mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir agreed with the medical expert’s explanation at the Coroner’s Court here today that the bruising on her daughter’s back observed while bathing the body was not caused by a blow, but rather by blood clotting. — Pexels pic

First Published: Monday, 12 Oct 2026 3:00 PM MYT

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 12 — The mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir agreed with the medical expert’s explanation at the Coroner’s Court here today that the bruising on her daughter’s back observed while bathing the body was not caused by a blow, but rather by blood clotting.

Noraidah Lamat, 46, the 82nd witness in the inquest proceedings, said she was informed of this by a doctor on August 10 last year, after she had voiced concerns that the bruising might have resulted from being struck by a blunt object.

When asked by lawyer Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah whether the bruising was indeed due to blood clotting as explained by the doctor rather than a blow, Noraidah replied: “That is correct, sir.”

She also acknowledged that none of the doctors who treated Zara Qairina had ever confirmed to her that there were injuries caused by a blunt object, contrary to claims made in a media statement issued by the family’s lawyer on August 3 last year.

However, Noraidah explained that the media statement was issued following a police report she lodged at the Sipitang district police headquarters, in which she requested further investigation into the bruising observed while bathing her daughter’s body on July 17, 2025.

She said the step was taken because, at the time, the family had not received a clear explanation from investigators regarding the actual circumstances surrounding Zara Qairina’s condition, which had raised various questions concerning her death.

Noraidah also told the court that she had never personally concluded that her daughter had been struck with a blunt object; instead, she had left the matter to the authorities to investigate.

Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after being found unconscious near a drain at her school dormitory in the early hours of the morning.