Cops detain schoolgirl who allegedly dumped newborn baby in toilet cistern

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A secondary schoolgirl and her boyfriend have been detained to facilitate investigations into the discovery of a dead baby boy in a toilet cistern at the Butterworth Health Clinic.

The 16-year-old pupil was picked up at her house in Butterworth about 12.30pm Wednesday, about five hours after the body of the newborn was found.

Her 18-year-old boyfriend was nabbed about four hours later, also in Butterworth.

Initial police investigations revealed that the schoolgirl's father had taken her to the clinic after she complained of stomach cramps.

Penang Crime Investigation Department chief, SAC Mazlan Kesah the girl excused herself on the pretext of going to the toilet as she was being examined by the doctor there.

"The schoolgirl gave birth to the baby boy in the toilet. She panicked upon hearing the baby's cries.

"She placed it in the water tank before heading to her father's car outside the clinic where he was waiting," he told reporters after a high policing programme held in Kubang Semang here on Thursday.

Mazlan said the teenager did not tell her father what happened when they returned home.

Based on investigations, he said the police managed to track down the girl, who admitted to getting pregnant after having sex with her boyfriend.

"The girl's family was unaware of the pregnancy. She was sent to the Seberang Jaya Hospital for further examination and has been remanded to assist in investigations. - Bernama