Parents arrested over death of child

JOHOR BARU: A five-year-old boy is believed to have died after being abused by his Indonesian stepmother here.

The police have arrested the parents to help in investigation. The father, 33, is a cook while the stepmother, 23, is unemployed.

The couple had rushed the child to the Sultan Ismail Hospital after he became unconscious at midnight yesterday but the doctors pronounced him dead at the emergency ward.

Johor Baru (South) Deputy OCPD Supt Mohd Afzanizam Yahaya said the doctor who attended to the boy lodged a police report at around 1am.

Initial investigation and medical examination found bruises on the boy’s body, face, chest and back.

“We arrested the parents at their house at 11am to help in investigation,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Supt Mohd Afzanizam said from initial investigation, the stepmother had allegedly abused the boy.

“We believe the child had been tortured for quite some time based on the bruises and injuries inflicted on his body.

“We also found out that the stepmother is an Indonesian national without a passport or identification documents,” he said.

The body has been sent for post-mortem. Supt Mohd Afzanizam said the police had classified the case as murder.

He urged those with information to contact the state police hotline at 07-221 2999 or lodge a report at the nearest police station.