JAKARTA: Police in Sukabumi, West Java are investigating the death of a 12-year-old boy who was allegedly tortured by his stepmother, the latest in a string of domestic violence cases involving children in recent weeks.
Sukabumi Police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Samian said preliminary findings point to suspected criminal acts behind the boy’s death.
“We have found evidence indicating alleged physical and psychological violence against the victim,” Samian said on Monday (Feb 23), as quoted by Kompas.com.
He said a visual examination of the victim, identified only by his initials NS, revealed multiple injuries, including burns and signs of blunt force trauma to his hands, feet, back, lips, neck and nose.
Doctors also found mild inflammation in his lungs and heart, though the exact cause of death has yet to be determined. A toxicology test and further analysis of tissue samples from the lungs and heart are underway, with results expected next week.
“We are waiting for the complete autopsy report from forensic experts to support the investigation,” Samian said.
Samian said investigators had questioned 16 witnesses in connection with the case, including the boy’s stepmother, identified only by her initials TR.
“We are not rushing to conclusions. We are thoroughly verifying every witness statement and alibi. We ask for the public’s support so that the law enforcement process can proceed independently and professionally,” Samian said.
NS’s death sparked widespread public outrage after videos surfaced on social media showing the boy alleging abuse by his stepmother.
In the footage, NS is seen lying in a hospital bed with visible burns and injuries to his face. A relative asks him what happened and speaking in a weak voice and struggling to breathe, NS says he was forced to drink boiling water by his stepmother.
The videos quickly went viral, prompting police to open a formal investigation into the alleged abuse.
According to NS’s biological father, identified by his initials AS, the boy had been studying at an Islamic boarding school and returned home for several days during the holiday period ahead of Ramadan shortly before his death.
During the break, NS stayed with his stepmother, TR, while AS was working out of town. AS said that last week TR called him, urging him to return home and claiming that NS had fallen ill.
However, when he arrived, he found multiple burn marks on his son’s body that TR allegedly insisted were the result of his illness. Alarmed by the severity of the wounds, AS rushed NS to the hospital. There, doctors informed him that they suspected the boy had been the victim of domestic violence.
AS further disclosed that he had previously reported TR to the police last year for allegedly assaulting NS. However, he later withdrew the complaint after she apologised and promised to change her behaviour.
Just days after NS’s death, videos showing child abuse in Sragen, Central Java, also went viral, sparking widespread public outrage.
In the first video, a man is seen repeatedly stepping on the face of a three-year-old girl. The toddler cries and tries to shield herself but despite her attempts to protect herself, the man continues to kick and stomp on her head. In a second video, the same girl is seen with a friend when the man suddenly strikes her on the head.
She falls and cries, but he continues to assault her, pulling her hair and forcing her to the ground. Reports indicate that the man allegedly recorded the videos to coerce his wife, who was working overseas, into sending him money to support his gambling addiction.
Authorities quickly identified the man as 47-year-old P and the toddler in the videos as his youngest child.
Sragen police moved swiftly to arrest him at his home, but P fled with all four of his children, including the abused daughter.
Following a two-day manhunt, authorities apprehended him on Saturday.
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) reported that there were 2,031 cases of violence against children in 2025 but said the actual number is likely higher, as many incidents of domestic abuse go unreported.
Child protection expert Nahar said the widespread violence against children reflects the state’s failure to protect the younger generations, both at home and in public spaces.
He said the government must step up efforts to prevent domestic violence, including promoting good parenting practices to strengthen parent-child relationships and to raise awareness of the long-term risks of abusive parenting.
“Communities, including neighbours and schools must remain vigilant for signs that a child may be facing difficulties at home. They should also provide early support and interventions for children who struggle to report abuse or seek help,” Nahar said on Tuesday as quoted by Antaranews. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
