College student charged with murdering newborn baby

GEORGE TOWN: An 18-year old college student was charged with murdering her newborn daughter by tossing the baby out of her 13th-floor apartment unit.

M. Santhea was charged with killing her newborn daughter at 8.25am on July 10 at the Sri Ivory Apartment in Bandar Baru, Ayer Itam.

She is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the death penalty upon conviction.

Her charge was read before Magistrate Fadrina Khairi at the Penang Hospital maternity ward where she is being treated and held in custody.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Yazid Mustaqim Roslan prosecuted while lawyer RSN Rayer represented the accused.

Rayer requested for bail despite it being a non-bailable offence, citing recent case law in the country.

Case mention has been set for Aug 14.

Earlier, the accused and her boyfriend were remanded for six days to assist in the investigation into the death of the newborn after the baby was allegedly thrown out from an apartment unit.

Her boyfriend, also 18, was released from remand.

A resident had lodged a police report after being told that the body of a newborn girl was found on the road near the apartment's parking area.