Talks on custody of abused girl
‘IN STABLE CONDITION’: Welfare Dept officers to meet her grandmother
KEDAH Welfare Department officers will meet the grandmother of a 4-year-old girl who was allegedly abused by her mother’s boyfriend at People’s Housing Project Paya Nahu Flat 2 in Sungai Petani.
The girl is undergoing treatment at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani.
State Women, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Entrepreneur Development, Women’s Welfare Committee chairman Datuk
Suraya Yaacob said the meeting today was to discuss and decide on the custody of the girl once she was discharged from hospital.
Suraya said the girl, who had sustained injuries to her face and body, as well as a broken right shoulder bone, was in recovery and in a stable condition.
She said initial checks by the department indicated that the girl was under her grandmother’s care for a period of time before her mother took her back.
“Based on the records, monthly aid of RM400 is given to the girl and her 2-year-old brother under the grandmother who was named as the guardian. We will visit the grandmother to discuss the matter,” she said after the launch of a state-level family and community engagement programme at Dewan Semai Bakti, Felda Sungai Tiang here yesterday.
Suraya advised the public to be more concerned and vigilant to prevent similar incidents (abuse cases) from occurring elsewhere.
Expressing her disappointment, she said the brutality that was inflicted on the girl and her younger brother, who was found dead and stuffed in a cooler at the flat unit where the mother’s boyfriend resided, could have been avoided if neighbours were more alert.
“This ‘mind your own business’ attitude is among the factors that can lead to crimes in our community.”
It was reported that the boy, whose decomposing body was discovered on Thursday, died on Nov 9 and the remains, which were claimed by his grandmother, had been laid to rest at Kampung Pinang Dalam Muslim Cemetery on Friday.
Both the 26-year-old mother and her 34-year-old boyfriend, who tested positive for drugs, were remanded for seven days beginning on Thursday for investigations under Section 302 for murder and Section 325 for causing grievous hurt under the Penal Code.