Dubai: A mother threw her four-year-old son to his death from the sixth-floor balcony of a Dubai hotel, left two letters behind and then jumped herself, police said.

The mother, of European nationality, suffered extreme mental trauma when she discovered that her son was suffering from cancer, and decided to end both their lives. The incident occurred in Jumeirah Lake Towers earlier in October.

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Hameed Al Merri, director of the Crime Scene Department at Dubai Police, said they were called to the site to investigate any foul play.

“We checked the CCTV cameras on a building close to the hotel and saw the mother throw her child before jumping after him. There is no foul play,” Lt Col Al Merri said.

Dubai Police said the bodies of the mother and child were taken to a forensic lab to be examined. A Crime Scene Department team scanned the scene for evidence.

“We thought there was a criminal motive behind the incident, but the video showed what happened. She had come from another emirate with her son and rented a room before committing suicide,” Lt Col Al Merri added.

The mother left two letters in the room, one for her husband apologising for what happened, and another for Dubai Police explaining that she couldn’t go on anymore knowing her son was suffering from cancer.

“The fingerprints in the balcony belong to the mother. We summoned her husband who was shocked and couldn’t believe that his wife had thrown their son to his death and jumped after him,” Lt Col Al Merri added.