Husband-and-wife babysitters among five arrested for abuse of two young boys

JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested five people, including two babysitters, for allegedly abusing two young boys under their care.

Iskandar Puteri OCPD Asst Comm Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said those arrested included a husband and wife who were babysitters to the children, as well as the suspects' family members.

He said the 32-year-old husband and 24-year-old wife were arrested on Wednesday (Oct 6) and have been placed under remand from Thursday (Oct 7) until Oct 12 to aid in investigations.

ACP Dzulkhairi said that initially, two other women and a man were arrested in connection with the case and both women were charged at a Magistrate’s Court here on Wednesday.

He said B. Mariamah, 60, and her daughter R. Deeba, 37, pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for abuse, neglect or abandonment of children.

“The court allowed bail of RM15,000 each.

“However, they failed to make bail and are being held at the Skudai lock-up,” he said, adding that the court set Nov 24 for next mention and submission of documents for the case.

He said the fifth suspect, Deeba’s boyfriend, who works as a security guard, was released on bond and will be a witness in the case.

“The two victims are still undergoing medical treatment at Hospital Sultanah Aminah and will be referred to the Welfare Department after this,” he said.

The two victims, aged six and 11, returned home last Thursday (Sept 30) with wounds and bruises.

The boys told their mother, a single parent, that they were hit with a cane and pipe, tied with a rope, splashed with hot water and injured with cigarettes on various parts of their bodies while staying at their babysitters’ house in Taman Selesa Jaya, Skudai here.

The victims’ 30-year-old mother M. Vikneswari, a restaurant helper, said the boys started staying with the babysitter in April and she paid a monthly fee of RM800.

“Since April, I have only met with my children three times partly due to work and because of the many excuses given by the babysitters.

“They would stop me from visiting my kids by telling me things such as the adults were undergoing home quarantine.

“After discussing the matter with my boss, I was advised to make a police report and once I did, the babysitters sent my injured, weakened children home in an e-hailing vehicle,” she said.