Data shows one child dies from fall or drowning each month

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PETALING JAYA: For the first five months of this year, one child has died every month from falling off a building or inside a bathroom, police data shows.

Data shared by the Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11) also showed that between 2018 and May this year, more than 30 children died from drowning in swimming pools, fish ponds or water buckets.

D11 principal assistant director Asst Comm Siti Kamsiah Hassan said these cases were just a handful of the many deaths involving children that could possibly be due the negligence of their caregivers.

Other cases include deaths from being left alone inside cars, being run over by reversing cars, falling off bed or from the window, choking on milk or food, suffocation or entanglement by cradle cloth as well as abuse such as malnourishment and being beaten.

In total, there were 1,945 cases between 2019 and May this year, including 138 that resulted in the deaths of children.

Almost all – 98% – involved those aged seven and below.

These cases, said ACP Siti Kamsiah, seemed to be “seasonal”.

“There would be times when we have a high number of cases involving children falling from buildings, then being left in cars.

“But the highest is drowning. Most cases occur at home,” ACP Siti Kamsiah said, adding that she believed a lack of awareness and knowledge were some of the reasons behind such cases.

“Some of these cases could have been prevented if the parents were careful and alert to their surroundings. We need to do more to improve their awareness and knowledge on childcare,” she said.