Couple held for hiding birth, death of baby

BUTTERWORTH: Police have detained a man and his girlfriend yesterday for allegedly hiding the birth and death of their baby.

Seberang Prai Tengah police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the 23-year-old man had turned himself in at the Bukit Mertajam police station, while the 22-year-old woman was detained.

“We have taken the man into custody, while the woman is held at the hospital as she is receiving treatment.

“We are locating the buried baby,” he said.

The woman is said to have given birth to the baby in Permatang Pauh. She claimed that the newborn died after she gave birth to it.

The couple buried the baby at the Bagan Dalam Muslim cemetery.

They then went to Seberang Jaya Hospital as the woman was bleeding.

A doctor had informed police that the couple had concealed the birth of their baby, which prompted the investigation.

The case is being investigated under Section 318 of the Penal Code for concealment of birth through the secret disposal of the baby’s dead body.