KUALA LUMPUR – The four-year-old child abuse victim who died in Batu Pahat, Johor, two days ago was killed by a blow to the head with a hard object, police there said following a post-mortem.
New Straits Times quoted Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat who said the post-mortem, conducted at Hospital Sultan Ismail, found that the boy suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Speaking after an event at the state police headquarters there, Kamarul Zaman said investigations into the child abuse would continue. The full post-mortem report is also pending.
The state police chief also said the child had scratches and bite marks on his body.
On Tuesday, when the boy’s death was announced, police also said he had burn marks, believed to have been caused by hot objects.
Kamarul Zaman said burns were also found on the child’s genitals, describing the injuries found on the body as sad and heartbreaking.
The boy was first admitted to the intensive care unit on December 23, before dying four days later.
Police have found that the victim was the youngest of 11 siblings, whose parents have been in prison since September for a drug offence.
The child had been left in the care of one sister who then left him to a friend to care for.
Kamarul Zaman on Tuesday said that after two weeks after being sent to the sister’s friend, the boy was found unconscious.
To date, five individuals, aged 15 to 37, have been arrested to facilitate investigations. This includes the victim’s 19-year-old sister and her 37-year-old husband who have been remanded until December 31.
The case is now being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. – The Vibes, December 29, 2022
