“It is every mother’s nightmare to see their children ‘leave’ before them. How am I going to move on with my life?”
COPS RECLASSIFY SATHISWARAN’S DEATH AS MURDER
HE promised his mother that some day, he would become a chef and lift the family out of poverty. However, 15-year-old S. Sathiswaran’s dream was dashed when he was killed on Monday when an office chair, thrown from an upper floor of a People’s Housing Project (PPR) block, struck his head.
His mother, M. S. Kasthuribai, 44, lamented her loss when met at the Petaling Jaya City Council Hindu cemetery here yesterday.
“He promised to study hard and become the breadwinner of the family, and buy us a better house to stay. But, now, all of his dreams, along with mine, to see him grow up have been crushed due to this tragic act,” said Kasthuribai.
The mother sobbed as she held her son’s photograph tightly in her arms.
Sathiswaran, she said, had always been mature for his age.
“He always advised me to do good and ignore those who wronged us. He told me to never care about what others said, but as long as we were doing the right thing, God would take care of things.
“Now, he is gone. I can never get back my son. I can never look forward to seeing him after work.
“I can never forget the tragic scene on that day. He died in my arms.
“Every hour, the scene is replaying in my head. It is every mother’s nightmare to see her children ‘leave’ before her. How am I going to move on with my life?”
Now, she said, all she wanted was justice for her son.
“My son was murdered. I want the perpetrator to face the death sentence. If he gets away, I’m afraid a similar incident will happen to someone else.
“Let my son’s death be the last. Let this be a lesson to all,” she said vehemently.
Kasthuribai, who earns RM1,500 as a kitchen helper at a restaurant in Bangsar, said she could not provide a decent life for her son, yet, he had never complained.
The breadwinner of the family has another responsibility. She is the caretaker of her disabled brother and needs to spend a quarter of her salary for his medical expenses.
Despite the deplorable condition of the flat, Kasthuribai said, she never wanted to leave her PPR unit in Pantai Dalam as it was where Sathiswaran grew up.
“My family and I have been living here ever since I was pregnant with Sathis.
“I want to keep all his memories close to me,” she said.
On Monday, Kasthuribai and Sathiswaran were headed home after grocery shopping. They were entering Block 102 of the Seri Pantai PPR Flat at 8.30pm when someone flung a chair from the 21st floor. It struck Sathiswaran’s head.
Police have recorded statements from 31 people. The perpetrator is still at large.