A newly released book, Left in the Hands of Fate, tells the story of a 1959 incident involving Magid Bateh, the 12-year-old Arab immigrant who the author says was wrongfully accused of burning down Jefferson Elementary School in the Sunset District, which was predominantly Irish at the time. The book, co-authored by Bateh’s niece Raine Bajalia-Evans, details the prevailing impact the incident had on Bateh up until his death in 2017.

Newspaper reports from the time claimed that Bateh started the fire while trying to burn his spelling test because he received a bad grade. Decades later, the incident continues to cast a shadow over Bateh‘s legacy, as the story gets periodically retold in online groups such as the popular San Francisco Remembered group on Facebook.

Despite being unfairly targeted by police, Bateh was friendly with local law enforcement throughout his life. This 2005 tribute to local mounted police officer Owen Kenny noted Bateh’s attendance at his funeral and how the pair’s lifelong friendship formed when Kenny helped Bateh after a fall from a skateboard at Golden Gate Park at age eight.

Based on the Left in the Hands of Fate's glowing reviews, Bajalia-Evans presents a compelling case for her uncle’s innocence while challenging readers to witness the profound loss of his youth.