By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 5: A four-month-old baby has been suspected of being physically abused by his father, 36, who is a contract worker.
Sibu district police chief, ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit confirmed the case, which will be investigated under Section 31(1) Children Act 2001.
The baby, who sustained brain haemorrhage, had received surgery and is now in stable condition at the Sibu Hopital Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“The suspected child abuse case happened at Lorong Rafflesia, Sibu Jaya. The baby, who is an illegitimate child of the suspect and the mother, has been under the care of the maternal grandmother.
“The mother works in Kuala Lumpur as a waitress in a restaurant, while the suspect works as a contract worker in Sibu.
“The suspect stays at the employer’s hostel, which is about two houses away from where the grandmother is staying. Usually, the suspect comes to visit and play with the baby between 7pm and 9pm,” he said in a statement.
On Monday evening (Sept 30), as the grandmother had stayed at the Sibu Hospital to take care of her own sister who was warded, the suspect came over to stay overnight to take care of the baby.
“That was the first time the suspect came to stay at the house overnight. Apart from the suspect, the baby’s 20-year-old uncle and two aunts, aged seven and 10, were all staying in the same house.
“At the night of the incident, the suspect and the baby took up the room downstairs,” he continued.
According to the Sibu OCPD, the uncle came into the room to check on the baby at 4am, where he switched on the light and fed the baby.
The next morning at 7am (Oct 1), the suspect brought the baby to the living room and rushed to his work place. It was during that time that the uncle saw red and blue patches on the chest of the baby.
“When the uncle tried to give milk to the baby, he noticed that the red patches on the chest became bigger. When the grandmother returned from the hospital, the uncle immediately informed her of what happened.”
The baby was instantly brought to the Emergency and Rescue of the Sibu Hospital at 12.35pm. After a CT scan that showed brain haemorrhage, the baby was arranged to undergo a skull surgery at 8pm.
The suspect was arrested on Oct 4, 2019 at 10.30am, by a team headed by ASP Irwan Hafiz.
The police will apply for a remand on the suspect. — DayakDaily
