A 36-YEAR-OLD Indonesian woman was fined RM2,000 by the Parit Magistrates’ Court today after pleading guilty to causing the death of her two-month-old son through negligence.
Magistrate Nurul Izalina Rajaai handed down the sentence against Dewinta Tefa, with a default six-month prison term should she fail to pay the fine.
The offence was committed at 5.30am on 18 September at Jalan Sungai Jejawi, Kampung Sungai Dua, Kota Setia. Dewinta was charged under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence, which carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The tragic incident came to light after it was reported that the baby, Arkan Andre Soveeal Asit, died from suffocation after being accidentally overlaid by his mother while she was asleep.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Mohd Ameerul Nazhif Wan Zulfikri had earlier urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the seriousness of the matter and public interest.
However, defence counsel Nurul Syuhada Mohd Yusof appealed for leniency, citing her client’s financial hardship and lack of prior offences.
“This is her first offence. She is not employed and her husband, who works on a palm oil plantation, earns just RM1,500 a month,” said the lawyer.
The court was also informed that Dewinta is a mother of six children, four of whom are currently in Indonesia. - September 22, 2025
