Muslim go-kart victim 'told don't wear headscarf'

The woman, 26, suffered severe neck injuries and went into cardiac arrest after her hijab, which covers the head and neck, became stuck in the kart's machinery while she was driving at high speed.

Paramedics managed to revive the woman after material from the hijab tightened around her throat and she was airlifted to hospital, where she later died.

Local media reports said that her husband and children were at the track at the time.

Police have opened an investigation into the incident, which took place at the Port Stephens Go-Kart track on the New South Wales midcoast, and have seized the go-kart for forensic examination.

Detective Inspector Peter Fox of Port Stephens local area command told Fairfax news websites that the longer part of the scarf was wedged down near one of the go-kart's wheel axles.

"[It appears] the scarf was pulled across her throat ... from one side of the body to the other side," he said.

Sharon and Scott Taylor, of Coal Point, were at the track with their young family waiting to use the karts when the accident happened.

Mrs Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald that there were only two karts on the track when the woman was injured.

"The kart hit the wall and stopped and she was just slumped over," she said.

Mr Taylor said the severity of the woman's injuries was obvious as soon as paramedics began to treat her.

"Her clothing had wrapped around her neck," he said.+

It appears they may be looking to crack down on the business ~ likely because it was a Muslim woman.

He said it was family run and had never had a serious accident.

"I still don't know exactly how it happened," he said.

"She was advised not to wear the headdress."

For Muslim women there is this obsession with what can be done wearing a headscarf. The idea of removing it ~ even to put on a helmet ~ would have gone against this whole religious bravado. But in this insistence it cost the lady her life. Muslims should be prepared to be more flexible.


THE distressed owner of Port Stephens Go-Karts, Mick Hogan, said the young mother killed in a freak accident was advised not to wear her headdress in the go-kart.

Mariam Dadoun, 26, was holidaying with family on Thursday when her hijab became entangled in a go-kart and caused fatal neck and throat injuries.

The business has been shut down.

WorkCover enforced the track's closure after investigations revealed the business, which has been running for 10 years, was not registered with the NSW Government authority.

A WorkCover spokesman said it was a legal requirement for businesses with "amusement devices" to be registered to ensure regular safety inspections were made.

"It missed safety checks, which involve inspections by engineers, because it wasn't registered," a WorkCover spokesman said yesterday.

WorkCover issued a second notice to the business for a go-kart, which did not have a "proper guard" on its chain drive.

"It can be very dangerous," the spokesman said.

Mick Hogan and Judy, his wife and co-owner of Port Stephens Go-Karts, met with WorkCover inspectors yesterday.

Mr Hogan said yesterday he was unaware the business needed to be registered with WorkCover.

He said it was family run and had never had a serious accident.

"I still don't know exactly how it happened," he said.

"She was advised not to wear the headdress."

Mrs Dadoun's family gathered at their home in Yagoona yesterday to mourn the loss of the woman they said was a "devoted mother".

Mrs Dadoun's aunt, who asked not to be named, said the family was in shock and very sad, describing her niece as "the best" .

Mrs Dadoun's husband, overwhelmed by the tragedy, requested privacy while he and his two young sons aged four and six dealt with their loss.

Port Stephens Police Inspector Jeffery Farmer said police believed Mrs Dadoun's hijab had become caught in the go-kart's axle.

Inspector Farmer said police had confiscated the go-kart Mrs Dadoun was driving for mechanical examination