The mother of a 23-year-old British content creator facing the death penalty in Dubai has revealed the heartbreaking phone call she received from her daughter on the night of the arrest.
Brooke George traveled to Dubai to meet a British man she had connected with on Facebook.
Things turned sour very fast though.
According to George, the man attacked her during an altercation at his apartment after the pair returned from a night out, and she grabbed a kitchen knife within reach to defend herself. The man died from the wound.
George is believed to have arranged a flight back to the UK but was arrested at Dubai International Airport in the early hours of June 22 as she attempted to leave the country. She is now being held at Bur Dubai prison, known for its harsh conditions.
Gut-wrenching six words
On the night of the arrest, she called her mother Thereza. According to a statement released by campaign group Detained in Dubai on the family’s behalf, George sobbed the same six words over and over:
“I just want to come home.”
George, who has nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok, faces death by firing squad if convicted.
“As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare,” Thereza said in the statement.
“The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”
Mother’s concern over George’s treatment in custody
George claims she was denied access to a lawyer and was forced to strip naked in front of male officers with no female officers present. Her family says she broke down in tears describing the experience as humiliating and distressing.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said the organization would be working to ensure George’s rights are protected and that she receives a fair trial.
Stirling also pointed to a wider pattern she said has been documented in Dubai in recent years. Women – including influencers, models and young travelers – have been lured to the country with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work or romantic relationships, only to later report being subjected to exploitation, coercion or violence.
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