Psychologist: No clear history of suicide attempts before Zara's death

 

Child psychologist and registered counsellor Dr Noor Aishah Rosli (Left) said Zara Qairina Mahathir's overall developmental profile from birth to the age of 13 did not indicate a child who consistently exhibited severe depression, social withdrawal, hopelessness or persistent suicidal intent. — NSTP/ERSIE ANJUMIN

KOTA KINABALU: Zara Qairina Mahathir had no clear history of suicide attempts before her death, the Coroner's Court heard today.

Child psychologist and registered counsellor Dr Noor Aishah Rosli said Zara's overall developmental profile from birth to the age of 13 did not indicate a child who consistently exhibited severe depression, social withdrawal, hopelessness or persistent suicidal intent.

"Based on the data I analysed, there was no clear history of suicide attempts in Zara's life before the incident," she said while reading her witness statement before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.

Noor Aishah, 51, said she had also considered the issue of "barcode", or self-harming behaviour without suicidal intent, in her assessment.

Based on witness accounts, she said, such behaviour should be understood within the context of adolescent development, peer influence, prevailing trends and immature emotional expression, rather than being automatically regarded as evidence of suicidal intent.

"In my assessment, the episode was insufficient to support the conclusion that Zara had a stable, planned or persistent intention to end her own life," she said.

The 76th witness said that, within the context of psychological theories on suicide risk, including the interpersonal theory, an assessment should take into account feelings of rejection, perceived burdensomeness, the capability to inflict serious self-harm and a combination of acute risk factors.

In Zara's case, she said, the available data did not strongly indicate that these elements were consistently or predominantly present before the incident.

"Although Zara experienced social sensitivity and adolescent developmental challenges, including peer conflict, friendship jealousy, boarding school pressures and several situational maladaptive behaviours, these factors alone were insufficient to support the conclusion that she had a stable or premeditated suicidal intent," she said.

Noor Aishah said the available evidence instead supported the need to carefully examine external, situational and interpersonal factors within the school and boarding school environment before the incident, rather than drawing the simplistic conclusion that Zara's death resulted solely from family conflict or internal psychological factors.

She also said Zara's relationship with her mother should not be viewed in isolation as the primary contributing factor.

"Instead, the relationship as a whole demonstrated attachment, affection, emotional support and open communication.

"In my assessment, it is inappropriate to draw psychological conclusions based on a single category of material, such as particular written entries, without considering the overall developmental history, interviews, telephone transcripts, witness observations, school history, family history, protective factors and situational factors surrounding the incident," she said.

Noor Aishah said Zara's overall psychological profile reflected a cheerful, sociable, active, caring and generous adolescent who was motivated, had aspirations and shared a close relationship with her mother.

Zara, 13, was found unconscious on the ground floor of her school hostel on July 16, 2025, and was pronounced dead the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Her death prompted widespread public calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The inquest into Zara's death began on Sept 3, 2025. - NST