‘Do not damn my son yet’
FATHER of junkie arrested over toddler’s death questions why the child’s mother did not cry out for help.
GRIEF-STRICKEN: Father believes suspect did not act alone in boy's death
AM not defending my son but I am appealing for a fair investigation. I still believe that he did not act alone in the toddler’s death.”
Those were the words of the father of a drug addict arrested in connection with the death of a 2-yearold boy, whose decomposed body was found stuffed in a cooler box at Paya Nahu flats on Thursday.
The victim’s 4-year-old sister is warded at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here for multiple injuries, but doctors have confirmed that she was spared serious injury.
The 63-year-old security guard told the New Straits Times that he was praying hard his son, the eldest of four siblings, would be investigated fairly.
“I understand how the people feel right now.
“I have also been condemning those behind such hideous crimes, especially when it involves children,” he said at his home yesterday.
The crime scene is located not far from Block A14 where police made the gruesome discovery, four days ago after the victim’s mother sought help from a neighbour.
The 34-year-old suspect’s father was overcome with grief when he learned a child had lost his life and the police were accusing his son as the prime suspect.
“I am not defending him because he is my son, but I must stress that things could have been avoided if the (children’s) mother had immediately sought help the moment the alleged abuse started.
“I keep asking myself why she did not cry for help all this while.
“She claimed that my son had locked her and the children in the room each time he left the unit. This means she had many opportunities to cry for help,” he said.
He also questioned why the 26year-old woman, being a mother, had failed to act when her son died two weeks ago but waited until four days ago to seek help for her daughter.
“His (the suspect’s) brother had told him to stay away from the woman due to her troubled background, but my son said he felt sorry for the woman and wanted to help her. Now he is paying the price,” he said.
The suspect’s stepmother, who runs a burger stall a block away from the crime scene, said neighbours would have heard and taken action if the victim’s mum had alerted them.
“All we know is that the woman had been hanging out with her junkie friends at Block 20 before it was raided by the authorities.
“Several people were arrested but
Police escorting the suspects she gave the police the slip and moved into the flat unit where my stepson was staying,” she said.
The suspect’s father said the incident had brought pressure to the family.
“We have receive many ‘kenduri’ invitations from relatives and friends during the school holidays but I am not attending any of them as we are ashamed of what had happened,” he said while looking at the wedding invitation cards, pinned on the wall of the family’s two-bedroom flats.
He added that his family had sent the suspect to drug rehabilitation centres in Tasek Gelugor and Bukit Mertajam.
“On both occasions, he became a changed man, but after three months or so, he would resume his habit after mixing with his friends.
“Moreover, drugs are easily available
File pic here,” he said, shaking his head.
He wished that he could engage a lawyer to defend his son, but had to drop the idea as he had no money to do so.
It was reported that police had obtained a week-long remand order against the suspect and the children’s mother in connection with the murder.
Both tested positive for drugs and had records of drug-related offences.