Third-year diploma student arrested following discovery of dead baby at refuse bin
KUCHING: A third-year diploma student was arrested yesterday fol lowing the discovery of a deceased new- born girl at the dumpster of a f lat complex in Muara Tabuan here.
The 24-year- old woman, who hails from Belaga, was picked up by CID personnel some two hours after a cleaner at the complex – located within the Samajaya industrial zone – stumbled upon the baby’s body, which was stuffed inside a cardboard box, while disposing refuse.
“At about 10am, a 36- yearold female cleaner found a red cardboard box in a trash bin at the apartment. When she opened it, she was shocked to discover a dead new-born baby girl stuffed in the box and quickly alerted the apartment management who then notified the police,” state CID chief Datuk Dev Kumar said when contacted.
“Acting on information, a team from CID Kuching, led by ASP Ooi Jin Bing, arrested a 24-year- old woman at her unit in the same complex around 12.30pm. She is a third-year diploma student from Belaga studying at a nearby college.”
Dev Kumar went on to disclose that subsequent investigation revealed the student had delivered the baby earlier the same day around 6.30am in the bathroom of the apartment unit.
He said police are initially investigating the case under Section 318 of the Penal Code for concealment of birth by disposal of a dead baby.
“However, if we find evidence that the baby was still alive when she was dumped, we will recommend that the suspect, who committed this unthinkable deed, be charged for murder,” he said.
He also said the police are probing the identity of the baby’s father and will go after him if there is evidence that he was involved in the crime.
Yesterday’s incident was the first case of baby- dumping reported to the police in Sarawak this year.
Last year there were 10 such cases reported.